Federico Fernandez did something on Sunday we were told would never happen again - he travelled as part of Newcastle United's squad but did not leave the bench.
In fairness to Eddie Howe, he stuck with the team that had beaten Burnley 1-0 and kept a clean sheet so there were few complaints when the team sheets were distributed in the press box at 1pm on Sunday.
Less than 24 hours later though fans are calling for changes for the next game away to Liverpool and Fernandez's name is hot on the lips of supporters.
It was Graeme Jones who suggested just six weeks ago that the former Argentina international would no longer be insulted by being asked to travel with the Toon squad and not play.
But as we move into what looks like a deadly December for the Magpies, with Liverpool (a), Man City (h) then Man United (h), either side of Christmas, it feels like Newcastle have little choice but to turn to the ex-Napoli defender.
United were extremely poor and unorganised at the back in the second half against Leicester during the 4-0 defeat and find themselves under pressure going into their festive fixture list.
Howe talked up Fernandez's presence as recently as December 1 when he described him as an "'an outstanding player".
It seems like an obvious choice to start him alongside Fabian Schar if Newcastle opt for a back four and even if they go back, like Rafa Benitez and Steve Bruce had to, to a back five, he should still be one of the first defenders on the team sheet.
It was actually Benitez who signed Fernandez from Swansea City back in 2018 because he was trying to refresh the team from the 2017 promotion winners who had served the club well but needed guidance.
Incredibly, with 2022 just around the corner, this team STILL needs a refresh from 2017 promotion winners but Fernandez is one of the few senior options available to Howe to change things.
Whether the problem is to drop or not to drop skipper Jamaal Lascelles is debatable.
What impact would relegating Lascelles to the bench have on the current dynamics of the dressing room?
That might be the issue for Howe given Lascelles long-term influence behind the scenes but incredibly after a very solid game against Burnley - in which he made 11 clearances - the former Nottingham Forest centre-back's performance slipped again.
Newcastle's reality is this - when Fernandez is in the team they generally do better and have picked up six of their 10 points when he's played.
United's defending was highlighted by Dion Dublin and Glenn Murray on Match of the Day who laid their problems bare from a neutral's point of view.
Howe conceded after the game: "They scored four goals due to some poor defensive moments.
"You need results.
"We are well aware of the position we find ourselves in.
"Reflecting on it, I think there were some good things about today.
"There were obviously things that weren’t so good.
"We had a lot of good ball around their box, we had a lot of opportunities to create, but our final ball and the final decision wasn’t quite right to open them up.
"That was the difference.
"Defensively, Leicester didn’t really have any concerted pressure in the game.
"I think at 0-0 the game was very much there for us to win, but I do think the penalty has a big bearing on the game."
Howe must essentially go back to the drawing board ahead of the clash at Liverpool.
It's a venue that has never been kind to Newcastle and having scored a late equaliser in this fixture last term you fear that United's quota of luck at Anfield might already have been used for the next few years.
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When Joe Willock scored at the death last season, Liverpool were struggling for form but after 16 games they are in the title race again and could even go top of the pile on Thursday night if Man City don't beat Leeds.
That said you'd like to think Newcastle can't be much worse than they were in the second half at Leicester.
As we sit here on Monday morning though avoiding another deflating defeat and keeping the score down would feel like a moral victory on Merseyside.
Either way, failure to make defensive changes seems like an almighty risk.
