Hargreaves hails Man Utd's 'Playstation numbers' trio as Carrick's revolution gathers pace

Owen Hargreaves might be stretching it a bit, but the former United midfielder is convinced the Red Devils are now operating at a different level entirely—armed with their own version of Mohamed Salah, a throwback talent in the mould of George Best, and a midfielder producing numbers that seem almost video-game-like in their absurdity.

Michael Carrick has now notched four wins on the trot since stepping into the caretaker hot seat, taking over from Ruben Amorim with the task of steering the ship through to the end of the campaign.

The latest scalp? Tottenham at home, dispatched 2-0 thanks to strikes from Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes. Spurs captain Cristian Romero handed United a gift-wrapped present when he saw red for a studs-up lunge on Casemiro, and the visitors never recovered.

Fernandes' late finish was his 200th goal contribution in the Premier League, achieved across just 314 appearances—a record only Wayne Rooney surpassed in terms of speed to the milestone. It's the sort of output that prompted Hargreaves to reach for the controller metaphor.

"Let's be honest, 200 goal involvements is ridiculous. They're Playstation numbers," the TNT Sports pundit declared. "He plays with risk but it's risk that the team benefits from."

Hargreaves went on to single out the midfield trio of Fernandes, Casemiro, and Kobbie Mainoo as the standout performers, suggesting they've quietly become a genuine strength rather than the vulnerability many feared when Amorim first arrived.

"We said beforehand that midfield was a weakness under Ruben Amorim, but that midfield three is really good," Hargreaves explained. "Obviously Bruno is the best player by a country mile and I just think they look so much stronger now as a midfield three."

Mainoo has started every game under Carrick's stewardship—a marked contrast to his non-existent minutes under his predecessor—and his display drew comparisons to United royalty from Hargreaves.

"I've never watched Kobbie play like that before. I've never seen him have a bad game," he said. "I can't believe how talented the kid is. This club is all about producing academy players and he is a fantastic one.

"When you think about the days of George Best coming through playing with flair and with risk, Kobbie is that type of player. He takes the ball at any point and you can pass it to him anywhere on the pitch and he looks like he's playing in the park with his mates. He is so comfortable on the ball and so humble. He's going to be a really special player."

Mbeumo, meanwhile, has found the net three times in four appearances under Carrick and now sits on ten goals for the season across 21 games. His corner-kick finish—set up by a routine involving Fernandes and Mainoo—came after he'd been shifted centrally, replacing Benjamin Sesko in the middle after operating almost exclusively on the right flank under Amorim.

Hargreaves reckons the 26-year-old possesses a quality that puts him in exalted company.

"He's just got it," the analyst said. "He is a great finisher. He reminds me of Mo Salah. He is a good finisher when he is in those areas, he doesn't get too up and doesn't get too down which I think is a brilliant attribute."