Best Ever Save
What I can't believe is not only did he get to it but got enough on it to clear it. His reactions were sensational
Alan Hansen
BBC Sport football pundit
David Seaman FA Cup Semi Final 2003 On his 1000th Game as a professional
Schmeichel leads Seaman praise
Seaman's match-winning save
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Goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel believes David Seaman's save against Sheffield United was the best he had ever seen.
Seaman produced a sensational one-handed stop from Paul Peschisolido's close-range header to defend Arsenal's 1-0 lead and send the Gunners through to the FA Cup final.
Manchester City's Schmeichel, who earlier on Sunday confirmed he will retire at the end of this season, was full of praise for the 39-year-old England number one.
Seaman has endured heavy criticism this season but, in the 1000th game of his senior career, he pulled off one of the best saves of his career.
"I think it's the best save I've ever seen," the Dane said on the BBC's Match of The Day programme.
"So very often you get a touch on the ball and it ends up in the net anyway.
"It was just unbelievable. He was off balance, had to come back and get a touch to it.
"He must have shovels on his hands. It was incredible.
"I'm so happy for him. He's come back from injury and been criticised a bit - most of all for his age.
"He was playing game number 1000 and he crowns it with a save like that. He will remember this day for the rest of his life."
Seaman admitted he thought the ball was heading across the line.
"To be truthful I thought it was in," he said. "I just flung my hand out and managed to get something on and behind it to stop it travelling any further over the line.
"I was pleased with that one. Not bad for 39 is it?"
BBC presenter Gary Lineker called it "one of the all-time saves, up there maybe with Gordon Banks".
Pundit Alan Hansen joined the praise by saying: "He will never have made a better save in his life.
"What a time to do it. The FA Cup semi-finals on his 1,000th appearance. It was unbelievable. How he got to it I'll never know.
"It was an astonishing save it really was, at a time when Sheffield United were right on top.
"What I can't believe is not only did he get to it but got enough on it to clear it. His reactions were sensational."
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CUP HERO SEAMAN TO STAY AT HIGHBURY
Sunday April 13 2003
Arsene Wenger hailed keeper David Seaman for the brilliant save which secured a third consecutive FA Cup final for Arsenal and then revealed the 39-year-old will stay on at Highbury next season.
The Gunners boss will make Seaman - who played the 1,000th game of his professional career on his return from a hamstring injury - his goalkeeping coach and will allow him to gradually withdraw from his position as his number one on the pitch.
Wenger said: "I have not made my mind up completely about next season but David will stay with us, certainly as goalkeeping coach at the club. It could be if he's still number one next season that he could take it slowly and become number two and number three and still take the goalkeeping coaching sessions."
Seaman's save from Sheffield United's Paul Peschisolido, with five minutes remaining in the FA Cup semi-final at Old Trafford, ensured Arsenal's 1-0 victory. The only cloud on the horizon for the Gunners is that Patrick Vieira is rated at only 50-50 for Wednesday's decisive Premiership match with Manchester United at Highbury.
Wenger said: "It was a great save and I am very happy he made it on his 1,000th game. It is a reward for all his hard work in training - he is an example of professionalism and to young goalkeepers.
Seaman may be 40 next season but Wenger believes the keeper is in better shape than when the Frenchman arrived at Arsenal in 1996.
"He's certainly fitter than when I arrived," added Wenger. "He works much harder, has lost some weight and he puts more effort into training, maybe because he's intelligent enough to see he has to put more in to stay at his level when it was natural before."
