Arsenal were better than Manchester United in 1999 despite treble win - Martin Keown

Manchester United remain the only English team to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in a single season.

The Red Devils famously beat Arsenal to the league title, with a 2-1 win over Tottenham on the final day of the season enough to ensure they regain the prize after losing it to the Gunners one year previously.

But Keown, who was part of the Arsenal team that ended up with just a runners-up medal, thinks that his former club were just as good as Sir Alex Ferguson’s side - if not even better. 

“There was always an added emphasis when we played Manchester United,” he wrote in his column for the Daily Mail. 

“We knew if we took three points off them, we would have an excellent season.

“These were two teams at the peak of their powers. 

“United won the Treble in 1999 but that year, head-to-head, I felt we were as good if not better than them.”

Speaking yesterday, Cesc Fabregas claimed Keown had been present when he had thrown a pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson.

That was in the aftermath of a pulsating clash at Old Trafford where Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wayne Rooney struck to ruin the Gunners’ 49-game unbeaten run.

But Keown says he was not involved - because he had already signed for Leicester!

“Sorry Cesc, I wasn’t at Old Trafford when you flung the pizza at Sir Alex Ferguson... but I wish I had been!” he added.

“Often memories of these titanic clashes merge into one. 

“Maybe he assumed that because there was a melee I must have been there, but I had already left Arsenal for Leicester.”