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Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: 'Man Utd treble-winners still England's best-ever team'

Old Trafford boss acknowledges Liverpool's progress but says he has yet to see a better English team than treble-winners.

Liverpool are running amok in the Premier League but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has yet to see a better English team than the treble-winning Manchester United side he was a part of in 1999.

Jurgen Klopp's Champions League holders' superb, dominant campaign had led to renewed debate over the best side to grace the game.

The swashbuckling Reds are certainly in the conversation but they will be unable to replicate the treble secured by Sir Alex Ferguson's men in 1999 after bowing out of the FA Cup at Chelsea on Tuesday.

Soccer Man Utd bus/trophies3
Huge crowds at Deansgate, Manchester, greeted United's treble-winners in 1999 (PA)

Solskjaer's last-gasp effort sealed the Champions League on that fabled night and believes that side remains a cut above.

Asked if United's 1999 squad remain the best he has seen in English football, he said with a laugh: "I think so".

Ferguson was spotted at United's Carrington training base ahead of Thursday's FA Cup fifth-round trip to Derby and there was plenty of talk of the magnitude of the treble.

"The key to it? We had a very strong squad," Solskjaer said

"We had a manager who knew when to pick who and I felt trusted in the FA Cup. The other lads, Yorkie (Dwight Yorke) and Coley (Andy Cole), played more in the league and Champions League.

"You've got to take risks and you've got to gamble and you've got to be lucky and we had all of them.

"It was a remarkable season, absolutely incredible. But I think the competition is tougher now. There's more top teams."

Put to Solskjaer that United saw off a great Arsenal team whereas Liverpool have not had a serious competitor, Solskjaer said: "Well, we can't say Liverpool have not had a competitor because the quality in the league is high.

"So, they have done great so far but of course, for me now, cup games as well, any given team can beat anyone. But it was us and Arsenal back then."

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Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp pictured on February 29, 2020
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TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


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