Manchester United legend Andrew Cole is furious with fans who, he believes, are disrespecting the 1999 treble-winning Red Devils squad. He believes that the United 1999 team was better than the current Manchester City side. Cole also pointed out how that team had several home-grown talents and were not just assembled from millions of pounds.
Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United stunned Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League final to win it in dramatic fashion. The Red Devils also won the Premier League title and the FA Cup that season, making them the only treble winners in England.
Speaking to Daily Mail, Cole claimed that the current set of fans disrespect the 1999 squad despite them winning the treble.
"I'm going to sit here and say United. The eras are totally different, too. What you have to look at, too, is out of our '99 team, how many were home-grown talents? Six? So, you don't pay £50m, £60m, £70m for these players. If you look at how much money Man City have spent to find themselves in this position. In '99, that couldn't have been done. And because we had so much home-grown talent, we didn't have to spend that money."
Gary Neville claimed that he would pick every single Manchester United player from the 1999 team in a combined XI with the current Manchester City squad. Cole echoed the same and added:
"I wouldn't change what that team achieved. We're the first team to do it and until someone else actually does it, we're still the best team. You see all the nonsense people are saying. What makes me laugh is they talk about this '99 team as if it was bang average. That's just the disrespect people have for Manchester United and even more so, that team."
Manchester United can stop Manchester City from treble-winning season
Pep Guardiola's Manchester City are in top form right now and have been backed to win the treble this season. The Cityzens have sealed the Premier League title, winning the season by 5 points over second-placed Arsenal.
They next face Manchester United in the FA Cup final later this week. The Red Devils are looking to make it a domestic double for themselves after winning the Carabao Cup earlier this season.
Manchester City have the chance to lift their first UEFA Champions League title in their history. The Cityzens have made it to the final, where they will face Inter Milan at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul.