While Manchester City did not put in a vintage performance in Saturday's 1-0 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers, there was one thing that lit up a grey and drizzly Etihad Stadium: the sight of Raheem Sterling enjoying his football again.
Sterling has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance in recent weeks, shaking off the rumours of discontent and transfer speculation to re-establish himself as a key player in Pep Guardiola's side.
The moment that summed up his new-found confidence was when he coolly slotted a second-half penalty straight down the centre of the goal, having missed his last three spot-kicks.
The goal gave City a hard-fought win, one that keeps them one point clear of Liverpool at the top of the table. It was also Sterling's 100th in the Premier League, a laudable achievement for a 27-year-old who is not a striker.
Yet it is important to remember that Sterling would never have reached the century mark if it were not for his teammates.
For the first four years of his City career, the England star forged a superb on-field relationship with David Silva. Just think of the archetypal Sterling goal that he doesn't really score any more: Silva would be heavily involved in the build-up with his silky passing triangles, the ball would be squared across goal and Sterling would tap home. You know the one.
Since El Mago left the Etihad in 2020 after a glittering 10-year stay, Sterling has largely struggled in sky blue. Last season he played a supporting role as City won a fifth Premier League title and reached a first-ever Champions League final, and for the first few months of this campaign, he was well down the pecking order of Guardiola's attacking options.
However, Sterling's recent resurgence has coincided with the blossoming of his relationship with Joao Cancelo.
The Portuguese star has been a revelation this term, largely playing at left-back but sometimes, like against Wolves, deputising for Kyle Walker on the right.
Cancelo's exploits have been well-documented, and it really is hard to think of enough superlatives to describe the artistry that he has brought to City's attacks this season.
His performance against Wolves - while not his best in recent times - perfectly illustrated how important he has become to City's attack. His three shots and four chances created (as per Opta) were joint-team highs, and over the course of the season he has been one of City's most creative and progressive players.
It was Cancelo's incredible outside of the boot pass that set up Sterling for his stunning volley against Everton a few weeks ago, the highlight of what is quickly becoming an important combination in Guardiola's side.
It was telling that with Cancelo playing at right-back instead of on the left on Saturday, Guardiola shifted Sterling across to the right wing in order to keep their combination play going.
Of course, while Cancelo has been at the club since 2019, multiple factors mean that it is still early days in the Sterling - Cancelo partnership.
But with Cancelo growing into one of City's attacking focal points and Sterling gaining even more confidence with every passing match, it looks like their relationship could be just as fruitful as the one Sterling shared with Silva, even if it looks very different.
Maybe, just maybe, Guardiola has come across a dual-threat that can propel City to glory this season.
What do you make of the Sterling-Cancelo connection? Follow our City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
