What a difference three months has made for Bernardo Silva.
Having coasted to a third Premier League title in four seasons - in addition to winning another Carabao Cup - star-studded City went agonisingly close to ending their European hoodoo.
It wasn't quite meant to be in Porto, as Chelsea edged out their domestic rivals to leave Pep Guardiola waiting for his first Champions League trophy away from Barcelona.
As for Silva, the Portuguese might have departed the Etihad Stadium had things turned out a little differently. City moved quickly to sign £100million man Jack Grealish from Aston Villa, while figures in the boardroom failed in their attempts to welcome Harry Kane on board from Tottenham.
All the while, Silva was being mooted as a potential target for Atletico Madrid and others.
That outgoing didn't materialise, either, as the Portugal forward continues to lead the way for City this term - with seven goals from 23 appearances.
Combined with his efforts last campaign, that was enough to land him the City Fans' Footballer of the Year prize.
Given how well City performed, there were other candidates for the award, but were any of them more deserving than the brilliant former Benfica and Monaco player?
Ruben Dias
Within 12 months of his City arrival, the Portuguese defender was already a Premier League winner.
Given how those on the blue side of this footballing city have fared in that competition over the last decade, that will come as no surprise - while Dias played no small part.
Winner of the coveted Football Writers' Association Footballer of the Year, he also picked up the division's (official) similar award. Despite that, the 24-year-old was a notable omission from the FFOTY shortlist as those places instead went to Silva, Foden, Joao Cancelo and Rodri. Dias might feel a little aggrieved, there.
Joao Cancelo
Aside from market moves in attacking quarters, City were heavily linked with several left-backs this summer.
For one simple reason, that no longer remains a priority area for those in the Etihad Stadium boardroom.
Cancelo has been a revelation in Guardiola's team - with his swashbuckling runs from defence, style and countless assists seeing him land third-place in the FFOTY order with 579 votes. Of course, only Silva (2,502) and Foden (1,190) bettered that tally, but even they might have anticipated a closer margin.
Phil Foden
Compared to Barcelona great Andreas Iniesta and long-since tipped for big, big things at the very top, 2021 was a year where Foden really announced himself as a major player on the world stage.
Becoming an integral part of the team, for club and country, Foden continues to show maturity in his game, not to mention an abundance of talent.
Deployed in several positions, the England starlet has been trusted to lead the line on the back of City missing out on Kane. No problem there, as Foden has totted up six goals and as many assists in 18 appearances this season. The scary thing is there is much more to come.
Ilkay Gundogan
Gundogan added a killer instinct to his game in 2021.
His best tally of 13 goals in the Premier League last season was impressive enough, but he also missed ten matches due to injury, Covid-19 and trademark Guardiola rotation. For a player who strikes at one in seven (65 goals from 439 games) throughout his club career, that was no mean feat.
A staggering return of 11 goals in 12 games between December and February highlighted a real purple patch which also saw Gundogan pick up back-to-back division Player of the Month awards.
Amid one or two injury setbacks, the Germany midfielder has also impressed during the first half of this season and he would, no doubt, have been another worthy FFOTY winner for City.
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