Michael Owen has claimed that Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne ranks ahead of Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and David Beckham in terms of vision and ability in midfield.

The Belgian midfielder has spearheaded Man City’s inexorable march to the title this season, claiming 14 assists in the Premier League, and will most likely claim the ‘Player of the Season’ award in May.

Pep Guardiola even ventured to say earlier this week that De Bruyne could be in line to win the Ballon d’Or this year if he guides City to Champions League glory.

And Owen has gone a step further than that, claiming that the 26-year-old is better than Scholes, Giggs, or Beckham.

“De Bruyne, Scholes, Giggs, Beckham would be my order,” he said.

“Beckham was a pure striker of the ball. He obviously mastered a great whip on his dead balls, but he had that long range fizz as well.

“Of course he could see a pass, vision I’d say decent and weight of pass good. A great clean striker of the ball.

“But I wouldn’t say he had the vision and ability of De Bruyne. Scholesy had great vision. Not only could he play a ball, but he had great vision.

“Giggs probably didn’t have the long range ping in his locker like a Beckham or a Scholes, but had unbelievable vision. Great vision.”

Perhaps we should expect something like this from a man who once said in commentary: “It’s a good run, but it’s a poor run, if you know what I mean?”

I could go on. What, another? Go on then: ““That would’ve been a goal had it gone inside the post.” An absolute classic, that one.

There is something almost childlike about Owen’s statements at the best of times, and his latest outburst is a case in point – a knee jerk reaction to the past six months, seemingly without any regard for the bigger picture.

Granted, De Bruyne has been nothing short of scintillating this season. Even as a United supporter I derive immense pleasure from watching him. But to say he is remotely close to – let alone better than – players who dominated English football for years and won everything multiple times is nothing short of mind-boggling.