There is something poetic about Christian Eriksen's return to football.
Less than 12 months on from the harrowing scene the whole world sat watching, whilst praying to the skies above and crossing everything possible, the Denmark international is moving back towards his best, most recently helping Brentford record one of the biggest shocks the Premier League has ever witnessed.
On Saturday, he scored once and produced an outstanding performance in midfield to help the Bees register a 4-1 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Whilst it was an occasion that no Brentford supporter will ever forget, seeing Eriksen's name flash up on the Soccer Saturday vidiprinter was a special moment for just about everyone, regardless of who you support.
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After suffering a cardiac arrest in Denmark's Euro 2020 opener against Finland last June, it was feared that Eriksen would never play competitive football again. It felt certain that it was going to be the most heartbreaking of endings to a career that still had a lot more to give - and so it is proving.
Since Brentford took a punt on him in January, signing him on a deal until the end of the season, Eriksen has justified their thinking, producing some eye-catching displays in his first four outings for the club. But his performance against Chelsea on Saturday was nothing short of outstanding, proving that he still has what it takes to compete with the best.
He was at the epicentre of helping the club record one of its biggest results in its history and taking them one step nearer towards Premier League safety. With respect, he looks a step ahead of his team-mates and his decision to put pen to paper on a short-term deal could be the difference between Brentford playing in the Premier League or the Championship next season.
He has transformed their fortunes and style of play, and the results have proven exactly that. They have won all three games that he has started and he has scored once and grabbed an assist in his last two games.
If anything, Brentford's decision to help Eriksen reignite his career could now, potentially, embarrass some of the Premier League's leading lights for not taking a punt on him themselves. Manchester United, for instance, were interested in signing him under former manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer when the Dane was at the peak of his powers in a Tottenham Hotspur shirt.
Since then, of course, Eriksen's career has taken a very different turn, and it was one that no player probably ever considers. It was devastating what happened to the former Ajax man, but he is now proving that nothing will defeat him in his quest to light up the Premier League again.
Whilst questions have been raised about why United or another of the Premier League's elite did not take a punt on the 30-year-old, it is easy to understand why. After what happened, there was always going to be an element of risk to signing a player that had gone through such a dramatic trauma less than a year ago, meaning it could have been viewed as decision that was far too risky.
Plus, at United would he have had the opportunity frequently enough to prove he still has what it takes to perform at the highest level? Probably not. At Brentford, it was largely risk-free.
But even though Eriksen is still finding his feet and climbing back up the first few rungs of the ladder in his attempts to rediscover his former glories, the signs appear to be promising. Therefore, amid reports in the national media claiming United and Spurs are 'monitoring' his progress at Brentford, United ought not to close the door on the idea of signing him just yet.
Admittedly, it remains very early days in Eriksen's return, and four games cannot provide enough evidence to suggest whether United should move for him this summer if he leaves the Brentford Community Stadium. However, if he continues to show signs of promise on a consistent basis between now and the end of the season, at 30-years-old he may be worth taking a punt on, as his talent is showing no sign of having disappeared.
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