On the surface, it looked like the end to a perfect storm of a week for Michael Keane.
Snubbed by England on Thursday, the centre-half was then subbed by Everton on Saturday.
It was not how he will have imagined the last few days would've panned out.
Word before the Blues kicked-off against Manchester City at Goodison was that Keane was on the bench because of Carlo Ancelotti's rotation policy but the manager put a bit more meat on the bone after the FA Cup tie.
"We wanted to play with three at the back and need to have more players like Mason Holgate, more aggressive to try and press forward," he said.
"And so it was a choice between Yerry Mina and Michael Keane. Michael has played a lot of games and so we wanted to give him a rest."
So part-rotation, part-tactical. But not the first scribbles of the writing of the wall for Keane. Nothing of the sort.
Everton's back three of Mason Holgate, Mina and Ben Godfrey defended well, for long spells, against Man City.
And Ancelotti got that aggressive approach he asked for with Mina helping to keep Gabriel Jesus quiet as the Blues kept City at arm's length for over 80 minutes of the quarter-final tie.
But Keane, you have to bet, will be back in the side for the visit of Crystal Palace after the international break, fully refreshed and ready to make a point to Gareth Southgate.
He doesn't need to make one to Ancelotti, despite missing out against City.
Keane has started all but three of Everton's Premier League games this season and is the experienced glue which keeps the backline together.
Between them, Mina, Holgate and Godfrey have made 195 appearances in the Premier League. And certainly in the cases of Holgate and Godfrey, not all have been at centre-half.
Keane? He's played 178 times in the Premier League. He's experienced and if there's one quality Ancelotti values in his players, it's experience.
The decision to omit Keane from the England squad was baffling, and it left him disappointed and seeking an explanation from Southgate that had no guarantee of coming.
Ancelotti's decision to drop him to the bench for the biggest game of the season initially raised eyebrows but his post-match comments put it into perspective.
But, more importantly, Keane's importance to the team this year put it there - as did his top flight experience.
Keane is the leader of a younger and less seasoned Everton defence.
