Wayne Rooney has sparked debate by confidently backing Manchester United’s legendary 2008 side to comfortably beat the current Arsenal team, insisting his former teammates would have been too strong for Mikel Arteta’s high flying squad.
The United great was asked to compare the Premier League and Champions League double winners of 2008 with today’s Arsenal side and did not hesitate, declaring that his era of Red Devils would have come out on top with room to spare.
That United team remains one of the finest assembled under Sir Alex Ferguson. In the 2007 08 season, they edged Chelsea to the Premier League title before defeating the same opponents in a dramatic Champions League final in Moscow, sealing a historic double and cementing their place in football history.
At the heart of that success was Cristiano Ronaldo, then at the peak of his powers and widely regarded as the best player in the world. After lifting the Champions League trophy for the third time, Ronaldo spoke about the resilience and quality of a side that had dominated both domestically and in Europe, underlining the mentality that defined that team.
The comparison comes at a time when Arsenal are enjoying an outstanding campaign of their own. Arteta’s side sit seven points clear at the top of the Premier League and have won all seven of their Champions League matches so far, including an impressive 3 1 victory away to Inter at San Siro. With the Carabao Cup and FA Cup also within reach, Arsenal are firmly in the hunt on multiple fronts.
The setting in Milan provided another reminder of Arsenal’s growing maturity. Facing one of Europe’s most disciplined sides in a hostile atmosphere, the visitors controlled key periods of the match and showed a clinical edge that has sometimes eluded them in previous seasons.
Key incidents shaped the contest, with Arsenal matching Inter’s intensity early on and refusing to be pinned back. The midfield battle was fierce, while defensive concentration limited the hosts to few clear chances, allowing Arsenal to grow into the game.
Goals from Gabriel Jesus and substitute Viktor Gyokeres proved decisive. Jesus led the line with confidence, linking play and finishing with authority, while Gyokeres made an immediate impact from the bench, finding space at the right moment and converting one of his chances to seal the result.
The second half saw Arsenal manage the game intelligently, absorbing pressure before striking again when openings appeared. Tactical adjustments from the bench helped maintain control as Inter searched for a way back into the contest.
Late on, Arsenal remained composed, seeing out the match without drama and underlining their evolution into a side capable of winning convincingly away from home on Europe’s biggest stages.
It was against this backdrop that Rooney was asked how Arsenal would fare against his 2008 United team. His verdict was blunt and delivered with a smile, backing his former side to come out on top, a reminder of the enduring confidence and aura surrounding one of English football’s greatest teams.
For Arsenal, the focus now shifts back to the Premier League, where they host Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday. Victory there could move Arteta’s side closer to a first league title since 2004 and further strengthen the case that this Arsenal team is building something special, even if comparisons with the greats of the past still invite debate.
"We'd batter them." 😂
Wayne Rooney on how his 2008 Man Utd side would get on 🆚 current Arsenal 👀 pic.twitter.com/7zvLUrWgZq
— Prime Video Sport UK (@primevideosport) January 20, 2026
