Piers Morgan ‘irrationally confident’ of Soccer Aid victory over Susanna Reid

Piers Morgan has said he is “irrationally confident” that he will defeat his “snowflake” co-star Susanna Reid when the pair go head to head in Soccer Aid.

The Good Morning Britain hosts will be competing against each other in the charity match for Unicef, with Morgan managing the Soccer Aid World XI squad alongside Harry Redknapp, and Reid co-managing the England team with Sam Allardyce.

Morgan told the Press Association: “It’s been a lot of trash talk.

“She’s a big snowflake, she’s already asking players ‘Are you OK?’ Going up to Ant Middleton, who was in the SBS, asking ‘Are you all right, Ant? Did you get hurt?’ Whereas I’m like ‘Usain (Bolt), a bit more speed, son. Come on, rattle it up a bit, Drog (Didier Drogba). In the air, son.”

Celebrities and former football players including Michael Owen, Eric Cantona, Jamie Redknapp, Niall Horan, Sir Mo Farah, Mark Wright, James McAvoy and Martin Compston will take to the pitch at Stamford Bridge for the match on June 16.

Morgan added: “When your strike force is Didier Drogba, the greatest player to ever grace this stadium, and Usain Bolt, the fastest man to ever live in the history of Planet Earth, you can understand why I am irrationally confident.”

He also pledged to channel former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho on the day, saying: “I’m wearing a suit, I’m not doing the trackie thing, this is for training but for the big game I’m very much the Special One.

“It will be like watching Mourinho back at the Bridge, even with the hands in the pockets and the sightly sulky brat look.

“I’m ready. I feel good, I look good, I’ve eased into it well. Harry Redknapp went to give the team talk and I barged him out the way and went to give the team my instructions.

“I think it made perfect sense – (Michael) Essien win the ball, another Chelsea legend, give it to (Robert) Pires, Arsenal legend, flying Usain Bolt on the wing, bang, in comes across the Drog, repeat.

“On a loop, the entire game, and then we’ll win.

“If Harry decides to go a different way, I will not be accountable for the results of this game. He’s talking about just hoofing it up to the Drog, it won’t work.”

He went on: “If we had a last-minute winner, which meant i would have bragging rights over Susanna Reid and Ben Shepherd for the rest of my natural life, I would take it in a very calm and rational manner.

“I would be there with Usain Bolt, lying on the ground, doing the full arrow, kissing Drogba, doing all the things I vowed I’d never do in my entire life. I’d do a conga, cartwheels everywhere.”

Soccer Aid for Unicef will be broadcast live on ITV on June 16, starting at 6.30pm. To donate visit socceraid.org.uk