Eavesdrop on any conversation on any given matchday at the Etihad Stadium and, at some stage, the topic of Bernardo Silva's performance against Liverpool in January 2019 is likely to come up.
In 2018/19, the season that Manchester City won the domestic treble, Bernardo was nothing short of immense, and that chaotic 2-1 win against Liverpool saw him play at the very peak of his powers.
Or did it?
This season, Bernardo is once again the name on every City fans lips. After reportedly seeking to leave the club twice over the past two summers, he is playing the football of his career and looks happier than ever.
In fact, I'd go as far as to say that the diminutive midfielder is even better now than he was three years ago.
Bernardo circa 2018/19 is held up as a shining example of what City fans want to see from Pep Guardiola's players.
That year City's number 20 provided the energy, industry and creative spark needed to overtake a relentless Liverpool, record 14 straight wins and clinch the Premier League title.
Bernardo's contribution to the 2-1 home win against Jurgen Klopp's side, a result that swung the momentum of the title race in City's favour, encompassed everything that is great about the Portugal playmaker.
He simply never stopped working; on the ball he was clever, probing and progressive. Off it, he was a demon, incessantly chasing down those in possession like an evil spirit looking for a new host.
Over the course of the league season he made 36 appearances, 31 of those being starts, more than any other outfield player. He chipped in with seven goals and seven assists and was deservedly named City's player of the season.
Perhaps what City fans appreciated most about Bernardo's efforts was the dedication he showed no matter what position he was asked to play in.
Guardiola's side had to make do without Kevin De Bruyne for chunks of the campaign due to injury, meaning much of City's creativity and on-field inspiration came from Bernardo. Whether he filled in the gaps in midfield as an eight or played out on the right-wing, he was the guy City looked to for answers.
Three years on, and Bernardo has reached another level.
From a statistical point of view, this isn't immediately obvious. While he is scoring more goals per 90 minutes than he did in 2018/19 (0.32 vs 0.22), he is assisting fewer goals and is pressing less. But statistics never tell the full story when it comes to number eights.
In a sense, this season so far has presented Bernardo with a similar scenario as 2018/19. De Bruyne has been in and out of the side with injury and sub-par form, giving him the chance to take on more responsibility.
The difference now is that Bernardo isn't merely plugging gaps; he is one of the first names on the team sheet.
He isn't being shifted from midfield to the wing every other week. He may sometimes play as a false nine, as he did against Manchester United but, generally speaking, the number eight position is his. The other players who can play that role - De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Jack Grealish, have to fit around him, not the other way round.
Then there is the matter of City's golden trio. Of the 27 matches in all competitions since the start of last season in which Guardiola has selected a midfield triumvirate of Rodri, Bernardo and Gundogan, City have won 25. Unlike three years ago, Bernardo is most important to City in his preferred position.
The man himself appears to believe that he is in the form of his City career, so who are we to argue?
"Maybe last year and two years ago people thought I wasn’t doing as well as what is expected of me", he told City's official magazine. "I felt better last season than two, three years ago and I feel I'm much better now than I was last season."
Bernardo of 2018/19 gave us so many fond memories, but there's a decent chance that the 2021/22 version will create even more.
Hopefully this is not his last season in sky blue and the story is just getting started.
Do you think Bernardo is better now than he was in his fabled 2018/19 season? Follow City Is Ours writer Alex Brotherton on Twitter to join the conversation and let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
