Soccer

David Seaman backs Manchester City to go on and win treble

Rest of the World XI players celebrate with the trophy after the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match at The London Stadium (Zac Goodwin/PA)
Rest of the World XI players celebrate with the trophy after the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match at The London Stadium (Zac Goodwin/PA)

David Seaman tipped “best in the world” Manchester City to win the treble after their dominant 4-0 victory over Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg.

FA Cup finalists and Premier League leaders City booked their place in the Champions League final on Wednesday as they bid to win the competition for the first time.

And Seaman hailed the club who he believes has what it takes to win three major trophies in one season – a feat which has not been replicated since Manchester United in 1998-99.

“Manchester City are a juggernaut of a team and possibly the best in the world at the moment,” Seaman told the PA news agency.

“We saw what they did to Real Madrid last night and you question who is going to beat them, they’re that good. It’s not just the starting 11 it’s all the others that come on who are world beaters as well.

“Yes, I do (think can City win the treble). I can’t see any reason why not because the way that they’re playing and the way they’re playing against quality teams. When they beat us (Arsenal) at the Etihad I was thinking ‘this is a really good team’.

David Seaman will be England’s goalkeeper coach at Soccer Aid in June (Ian Walton/Unicef UK) (Ian Walton/©UNICEF/Soccer Aid Productions/Stella Pictures)

“We saw it last night against Real Madrid, (playing big teams) it doesn’t faze them anymore, it’s like they know if they play well they can beat anybody, no matter who you put in front of them if they play their game they’re going to win.”

Erling Haaland’s record-breaking debut Premier League season has seen the Norwegian striker net a staggering 36 goals in 33 appearances.

Former Arsenal and England goalkeeper Seaman lauded the 22-year-old’s impact at City since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund last summer and voiced his admiration for his quality at such a young age.

Haaland has been nominated for the Premier League Young Player of the Year award as well as Player of the Year alongside team-mate Kevin De Bruyne.

Manchester City v West Ham United – Premier League – Etihad Stadium
Haaland celebrated breaking the Premier League record during City’s 3-0 win over West Ham (Martin Rickett/PA)

The 59-year-old who will also be goalkeeper coach for the England team in this year’s Soccer Aid, added: “I’d have loved the challenge, (to play Haaland) he’s been brilliant.

“At the start of the season people were saying he doesn’t fit the Manchester City way of playing and now he’s scored over 50 goals (in all competitions), it’s just phenomenal.

“It’s not just the goals, it’s the way he scores them, the runs he makes and even when he makes the run and he doesn’t get the ball, he makes another run, he doesn’t throw his arms up in the air.

“He really is a quality player and for a guy of that age (22) it’s so hard to understand where he’s got all that experience and talent from. It’s just amazing that he has all this at a young age.”

Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2022 – The London Stadium
Rest of the World XI players celebrate with the trophy after the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match at The London Stadium (Zac Goodwin/PA)

This year’s Soccer Aid event will take place on June 11 at Old Trafford and Seaman is hoping for an England win having lost their last four.

“It’s always great, even though I am not playing anymore I always want to be involved.

“It’s time that England win one because it’s been a while since they’ve been on that podium with the fireworks going off.”

:: Tickets for Soccer Aid For UNICEF on Sunday 11th June 2023 at Old Trafford, are on sale via www.socceraid.org.uk/tickets with a family of four able to attend for just £60 — two adults and two children.