As has been noted on this website and others, the last decade hasn’t been easy for Manchester United fans. Watching one club fall from grace, while their crosstown rivals – Manchester City – have become the club to win trophies on a regular basis. That came to a head Saturday, when City’s 1-0 win over Inter Milan resulted in their first Champions League triumph, and completed a treble of winning the domestic league, domestic cup, and the European Cup in the same season.

It was an accomplishment that among English clubs, only United was able to claim, and it will be painful for Red Devil supporters to admit that as of Saturday, their club is no longer alone in accomplishing this feat. However, when it comes to comparing which team’s Treble is more impressive, there are several factors to consider that slant United’s way.

United’s Treble came first

When you think about it, how many historical achievements are remembered for being the first? Most know that Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were on the first Apollo mission where astronauts walked on the Moon. Many know that Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay were in the first group confirmed to have successfully climbed to the top of Mount Everest. How many can name the second group of people to accomplish those feats without looking them up first? Being the trailblazer comes with its own unique advantages, and for United to accomplish their Treble in 1999 – when no other English team could claim the same before Saturday – is bragging rights that will provide some consolation to MUFC supporters.

United’s Treble chase had a more dramatic ending

Part of the allure of Manchester United’s 1998-99 season is how close it came to everything going sideways. The Premier League battle with Arsenal came down to the final day, the Champions League Final was won with two goals in second-half stoppage time, and while the FA Cup Final was a straightforward 2-0 win over Newcastle, the semifinal replay against Arsenal is still regarded as a classic match, more than 20 years after that eventful night in Birmingham. With City’s Treble in 2022/23, there always seemed a certain inevitability about how things would play out, taking the fun away for neutrals. While Arsenal led the Premier League for much of the season, and Inter put up a stubborn resistance in the Champions League Final, once City took the advantage in both instances, it was only a matter of time before they claimed the trophies. Not exactly the most entertaining for neutral fans.

United’s Treble will remain unaffected

While the media is recognizing what City has achieved on the pitch this season, some outlets are also acknowledging a significant number: 115. That’s how many charges Manchester City is facing from the Premier League for alleged financial violations. Controversy has been ever-present with the club since the change in ownership 15 years ago; they were originally banned from the Champions League for a period of time before that ban was lifted. Manchester United’s treble came without any related allegations, and the fact is that if City are sanctioned as a result of these charges, it could result in a loss of Premier League titles. It is possible that United could return to that status of the lone English club to win the Treble.

Fans can make arguments about why City’s Treble is more impressive of the two, but the above factors are all something United followers will use to boost their club’s claim to having the more notable Treble. And with the possibility that City could be losing titles based on sanctions, it will be another way for Manchester United to reclaim bragging rights, as they continue their quest to return to the world’s elite.