Former Manchester United hero Nicky Butt has heaped praise on Man City despite admitting he'll be "gutted" if they match their treble feat.
The former midfielder played a critical role in United's most famous season, starting their 1998/99 Champions League final with Bayern Munich following the suspension of Roy Keane. And amid one of his biggest ever individual displays, his team prevailed in the most dramatic fashion, thanks to injury time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
That feat has stood the test of the time, despite City coming close to matching it when they completed a domestic treble in 2018/19. But after Pep Guardiola's men took Arsenal apart on Wednesday night, and with a Champions League semi final and FA Cup final to come, there is a growing belief the Sky Blues can land all three trophies.
And Butt has lauded United's bitter rivals for becoming such a dominant force: "They (Man City) are an amazing football team," he told ESPN . "Whoever wins the Treble, I'll be a bit gutted about it, but if they're doing it in the right way, playing the right way, then fair play to them.
"The project that they've had over the last 15 years, from when they took over, they have changed all the fundamentals in the local area. The owners are putting money into the local community, building houses. I'm the biggest Red you'll ever meet, but you can never say it's not an amazing project that they have put together."
Butt, who also played for Newcastle and Birmingham City, thinks that with Guardiola at the helm City are well primed to win their coveted treble: "They brought in a manager that's certainly in the top three ever in my opinion, and they're playing unbelievable football. They're probably going to win the title, they're into the FA Cup final against United and they're looking good in the Champions League, so you'd have to say they've got a real chance of winning all three.
"The way they play football and what they do, you can't not say they're good. They're very, very good. What they did against Bayern Munich in the Champions League was frightening really."
However, the tough tackling midfielder couldn't resist one slight dig at the reigning Premier League champions. He implied their potential treble would never match the drama and excitement of United's some 24 years ago: "So if they win it, well done," he added. Good luck to them, but I don't think they'll do it in a style we did it in."
Ironically, it could be The Red Devils that scupper City's treble quest. The two sides will meet in the first ever all-Manchester FA Cup final on June 3, a week before the Champions League final takes place in Istanbul.
