At the start of the season this piece of comment may have seemed ridiculous to most.
Because Manchester United had strengthened considerably in many areas of the squad, but the idea of their veteran midfielders having a crucial say in the destination of the league was fanciful.
Michael Carrick was looking his age at 34 and Bastian Schweinsteiger was so physically off the pace that one wondered whether this would soon be seen as an expensive mistake on the part of Louis van Gaal.
Furthermore, the signing of Morgan Schneiderlin – and his early presence on every team sheet – seemed to suggest that Carrick and Schweinsteiger would be involved in a job share for the other midfield role.
Schneiderlin will play a big part in this campaign of course, providing the dynamism when other legs get tired.
But watching the two veterans command the midfield against Liverpool, it led us wonder if there is a better defensive midfield partnership anywhere in Europe right now.
Because, now that Basti looks miles fitter than he did at the beginning of the campaign, he and Carrick are a frighteningly polished and talented double act.
We get the sense that they are going to really enjoy playing together – at last Carrick has a player alongside him that he can totally trust.
Now a Manchester United player
A player who can hold the fort when he wants to bomb forward and vice-versa.
Both players have great skill, sense of positioning and passing ability.
But both are team men first and individuals second.
They utterly dominated that midfield on Saturday evening and perhaps this is a portent of things to come.
If these two can stay fit all season they will provide easily the sternest challenge to Manchester City in the league and also give Manchester United the sort of platform to really excel in Europe in this campaign.
Louis van Gaal has taken a lot of stick in his time as Manchester United manager and he’s not out of the woods yet.
But when you look at the team he is building, United now have a solid central defence and superb wing backs. The front line has enjoyed a sublime injection of pace with Memphis and Martial. And the midfield looks almost as strong as when Keane and Scholes were treading the boards of The Theatre of Dreams.
