Home of football statistics and historyManchester City fans are soaking in the glory after their side finally broke their duck to be crowned European champions for the first time in their history. Rodri’s well-taken goal and some incredible displays of athleticism from Ederson in goal were enough to see City over the line and earn a 1-0 victory of Inter Milan in Istanbul, with it securing only the eight continental treble and second from an English side. The FA Cup win, their third successive Premier League title and their maiden European Cup triumph marks the most successful season in club history but also understandably draw comparisons to Sir Alex Ferguson’s United side of 1998/99 who achieved the same feat. There’s no debate that Pep Guardiola’s side have been relentless in their pursuit of major honours this season, and it’s no surprise with the enviable squad depth and world-class talent at the Spaniard’s disposal. But how does the indomitable force of Guardiola’s Blues compare with the immovable object of Ferguson’s famous side of 98/99? Here’s our go at answering that question.
Man City’s Treble was a long time coming
Let’s take a look at the most recent treble first. The scale of City’s accomplishment should not be underestimated. Guardiola has done an incredible job since taking charge at the Etihad, assembling a squad that could easily be considered the best in the world that has won 14 major trophies in the seven years since his arrival. He will likely add more to his collection next season but earning this trio, after securing the most elusive trophy of all, it’s as good as it gets. On their 13th attempt, City managed to break their European curse and became the sixth English club to hold the iconic trophy aloft. Despite coming into the match against Simone Inzaghi’s Nerazurri as heavy favourites, there were more than one or two lingering doubts after the last two European campaigns ended in devastating fashion. But this City side is built differently. Numbers alone tell you this was destined to be their year. They were the only unbeaten side in the tournament, netting 32 goals on their way to European glory, ending the tournament with a goal difference of +27. No team managed to score more than once in 90 minutes against Guardiola’s side throughout the tournament and the final marked their 44th win from their 60th competitive game this season. No team has managed to set the standard so high and maintained it throughout the entire run quite like City have.
As for the Premier League, that was not as simple. Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal pushed the Cityzens to the wire in this year’s title race, leading the pack for a record-breaking 248 days of the season, but the unrelenting pressure from City told eventually as the Gunners buckled in the run-in. Their points tally of 89 is not their best return to date, nor was it their most dominant title win but a run of 12 wins showed how City have the knack for getting the job done. The cherry on top of this season’s cake was the FA Cup win which saw rivals United fall short in their bid to secure a cup double and keep the uniqueness of their treble accomplishment intact. A sensational Ilkay Gundogan double ensured City ran out 2-1 winners of the FA Cup in a season where, unsurprisingly, the Blues were the competition’s top scorers with 19 goals, a tally last surpassed by the City side in 2019. While this is far from their most commanding season in recent memory, the consummate ease with which City dispatched their competition shows the gap they have established at the pinnacle of both domestic and European football. They are a cut above the rest and the treble is just rewards for their exploits this season.
The landscape has changed since Fergie’s Treble
However, the sport has evolved drastically since Fergie’s United lifted the Champions League trophy to secure their treble. The landscape of elite football has shifted completely, with a level of professionalism and the amount of money involved in stark contrast to that of the 20th century. While finding fault and picking holes in City’s accomplishment ultimately feels like a redundant exercise given the quality of their side, it is perhaps this disparity that gives United’s treble the edge in this debate. City have the world’s most prolific striker up front in goalscoring machine Erling Haaland, the world’s best midfielder in Kevin De Bruyne supplying him, some of the most destructive attacking forces up the channels in Phil Foden, Riyadh Mahrez and Jack Grealish, along with one of the best shot-stoppers in the game in Ederson between the sticks. On paper, they are streaks ahead of anyone, so it might sound dismissive of the competition, but of course, they’re in this position. They were favourites to win all three of these competitions before a ball was kicked and it was expected that they would at least lift two come the end of the season.
There are already betting offers appearing offering odds for City to win the quadruple next year. In this context, the romantic football fans and neutral observers would more likely vote for United’s treble, safe in the knowledge that they were up against it to fight off stiff, more evenly-matched competition on all three fronts. Then there’s the manner in which they achieved it. Fair enough the 2-0 win over Newcastle in the FA Cup final wasn’t exactly a theatrical affair but there has never been drama quite like the final day of the 1998/99 Premier League campaign and THAT night in Barcelona. Granted City fans will claim beating United to claim one of the triad of trophies will have added some shine to their treble but United fans could easily retort with beating bitter rivals Arsenal in the now legendary FA Cup semi-final, coming back against Liverpool in the quarters, and giving the Gunners a glimpse of hope on the final day only to snatch it from their grasp. City might have endured a tougher time trying to jump the final hurdle, but United were set the tougher task to begin with. It was far more of a level playing field back in 1998/99 and while that shouldn’t discredit the scale of City’s achievement in breezing past the best Europe has to offer, there’s still something to be said for the adversity Fergie’s United had in dismantling the opposition when compared to Guardiola’s merciless machine. So even though it’s a tough time for United fans right now, they can rest assured that their emotional rollercoaster ride of a treble still holds a unique place in England football lore.
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