Cole insists Seaman is still number one

ASHLEY COLE has again rushed to the defence of his Arsenal and England team-mate David Seaman by insisting he is as good as ever.

Young Cole's dramatic goal-line interventions prevented the veteran goalkeeper suffering even more critical flak in the north London derby at White Hart Lane after he was even blamed in some quarters for conceding the howitzer free kick which Christian Ziege brilliantly swept home for Spurs.

And in the end, 39-year-old Seaman much maligned for his so-called World Cup howler against Brazil and subsequent alleged blunders for Arsenal as well as in the European Championship qualifier against Macedonia emerged as one of the heroes of Arsenal's hard-earned 1-1 draw with their revenge-seeking neighbours.