A lot has happened at Newcastle United since Jacob Murphy started the Magpies' FA Cup fourth-round defeat against Watford on January 26, 2019.
Murphy would never have imagined that he would have to wait another 609 days to start another competitive game for the black-and-whites but, following loan spells at West Brom and Sheffield Wednesday, the winger finally got his chance against Morecambe on Wednesday night.
The standard of opposition certainly has to be taken into account but, judging by his stunning display against the League Two strugglers, Murphy looks reborn and full of confidence.
Murphy's goal and assist in the 7-0 win did not tell the full story; the 25-year-old was a menace throughout and, tellingly, so many of the black-and-whites' attacks were focused down the right flank, where he wreaked havoc.
With just five minutes on the clock, Murphy appeared to have run out of room near the corner flag as he was surrounded by three Morecambe players but, somehow, he managed to pick out Emil Krafth in the build-up to Joelinton's opener.
Confidence is always key with wingers and Murphy looks full of it right now. Whenever he got the ball at the Mazuma Stadium, Murphy looked to do something positive, whether it was beat his man, whip in a cross or have a shot himself.
Having finished last season with four goals in five games for Sheffield Wednesday, Murphy has added an end product to his game.
That had not gone unnoticed and the improvements Murphy has made in the last 12 months have certainly been noted by his team-mates.
"He's flying in training and in games," Isaac Hayden told NUFC TV back in July. "That's a credit to him going away and playing the games he did last season and coming back ready to take his chance, which I think he's doing at the minute. If he can continue like that, it gives the manager a big headache."
Bruce had told Murphy to be patient and to keep working hard and it says a lot about the 25-year-old's application and his performance against Morecambe that the Newcastle head coach does not want to let him go out on loan again.
The competition for places is intense at the minute and as well as there being a battle to make the 18-man match day squad, there are 24 outfield players fighting it out for just 22 slots in the Magpies' Premier League squad.
Murphy's mentality means he will not be getting carried away and the winger is just focused on building on that performance at Morecambe but if he is to make that 25-man squad, his chance will come again in the Premier League sooner or later.
That would represent quite a turnaround.
