The last time Jesse Lingard played for Manchester United against Leicester he ended up costing one supporter £670 but failure to use him properly this weekend could see Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side the ones made to pay.
It was the final day of the 2019/20 season when United sent on an out-of-favour Lingard against Leicester as the two sides battled for the final Champions League qualification spot. The Foxes had spent the bulk of the season in the top four positions while United had spent it on the back-foot after a poor start to the campaign left them with an uphill struggle on their hands.
After a fine run of form in Project Restart United were in control after a Bruno Fernandes penalty gave them a lead in the match before sending Lingard on for the final 13 minutes to ensure energy levels didn't drop.
The 28-year-old only had two goals and one assist to his name across 37 of his previous appearances that season, strikes which came against Astana and Tranmere Rovers and an assist in a 5-0 thumping of Club Brugge, hardly the stats which indicated what was to follow.
Earlier in the season a number of fans had taken up promotional bets with bookmakers' that the United midfielder would not grab a goal or an assist in the entire Premier League campaign, seven minutes into added time of the final match they were poised to receive a payout.
Yet only 30 seconds later Lingard was celebrating when his high press forced Kasper Schmeichel into an error and he stole the ball before rolling it into an empty net to ruin the betting slips with half a minute of the season left.
Victory saw United avoid a £22.5million loss of earnings which would have been triggered for failing to qualify for the Champions League for the second season in succession as part of the Adidas kit deal, but for Lingard the strike was priceless.
"I lost who I was as a player and person," he said after the match. "But I never wanted to give up, I knew who I really was on and off the pitch and knew that having been there before I could get there again.
"I know the fans have been frustrated but in all this time my love for this club and everyone connected to it has never left me."
Lingard had become somewhat of a divisive figure amongst United supporters but 15-months on his popularity is nearing an all-time high and he is now viewed as a player underused by the club rather one who was starting too often.
A loan spell at West Ham earlier this year reinvigorated the playmaker to form worthy of an England recall, with a sensational run of games which saw him bag a brace as David Moyes' side won 3-2 against Leicester to dent Champions League dreams once again.
Lingard has been involved in six goals in his last six Premier League appearances against Leicester (3 goals, 3 assists). Against no side has he been involved in more goals in the competition (also 6 vs Arsenal).
Reports of a potential high-profile exit in January are further endorsement of the progress which Lingard has made to restore his reputation and there are few teams who can vouch for his game-changing influence quite like Leicester.
He is deserving of a rare start this weekend, though Brendan Rodgers will be hoping he doesn't.
