Last season, Bernardo Silva started 42 of his 50 appearances for Manchester City in all competitions. With Kevin de Bruyne spending much of the campaign injured, Bernardo stepped up to become as close to a first-choice starter as is possible in a Pep Guardiola side.
"The way he plays I can’t do anything but put him on the pitch and play," Guardiola explained in March.
"Sometimes players are recovering and I rotate the team, he’s so important for us, what he’s done this season is the best."
This season, though, it's not exactly going to plan for Bernardo, who has seen De Bruyne return in midfield to increase competition in the centre. Out wide, where Bernardo is equally effective, Riyad Mahrez has improved to become Guardiola's go-to right-winger in Leroy Sane's absence.
As a result, Bernardo has gone from being the first name on the team sheet to third choice in two positions. In his six starts all season, he's only completed 90 minutes twice, which includes the Carabao Cup win at Preston.
But if Bernardo's drop in status at the Etihad has surprised commentators and onlookers, it won't shock the player himself, as he described in his own words this summer how fierce the competition for places is at City.
In an interview with BBC Sport in August, Bernardo explained: "When you join a team like Man City, one of the biggest teams in the world, you know you will have heavy competition.
"When I first arrived I didn't know if the manager was counting on me as a winger or midfielder but either way if I counted as a midfielder I got Kevin, David [Silva], [Ilkay] Gundogan. For two positions I already counted three players.
"On the wing, I had Leroy and [Raheem] Sterling, fantastic players, so you always have to work hard, to train 100 per cent every day to be in a team like this one."
Add new arrival Rodri to further congest City's midfield options, and Bernardo's own warning about his teammates is coming true this season.
"Even now I know if my level drops even a little bit I will be straight to the bench," he continued.
"So I need to keep working, the level is huge on this squad and that's the challenge about coming to one of the best clubs in the world, if you want to be relaxed and know you'll play every game you don't come to one of the best clubs in the world.
"It's not easy to be focussed every day of the year, some days are more off than others, but most of these players it's been ten years they've played football. The fans, club, managers, everyone demands so much from us, they're used to it. Nowadays for me a moment of pressure is normal, I'm used to it."
If Bernardo knew what was coming, he will also know the level required to get back to becoming undroppable in his manager's eyes.
It is a slight worry he has allowed his place to slip, but City fans can be reassured he is ready to fight to get it back. After all, it's hardly like his performances when he has featured have been poor - he scored a hat-trick in the 8-0 win over Watford.
But this City side is all about adapting and evolving, and it seems Bernardo is taking slightly longer to get to grips with his new role. Now, he could do worse than follow his own advice and put his head down on the training pitch.
