Manchester City's week before the international break was season-defining, as they faced Crystal Palace, RB Leipzig and Burnley. They passed with flying colours, kept three clean sheets, and remained in contention for a treble.
Pep Guardiola had described the run as the most important in City's campaign, but quickly moved on from the significance of the three wins by reminding his players that another defining run is coming up immediately.
“Of course, [April] is going to decide [the success of our season] because we make an incredible February and an incredible March, and when you pass April, an incredibly successful May will be so important," he said.
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There are no prizes for having a good month, so City will need to continue their 10-game unbeaten run to achieve anything this season. Guardiola knows it, and so will his players. If they get through April still in three competitions, then they will have to back it up with an even-more defining May.
If they are to do that, April will come down to the final three fixtures of the month. A Champions League quarter-final second leg, an FA Cup semi-final, and a Premier League title showdown in the space of seven days.
City's task against Thomas Tuchel's Bayern Munich in the Champions League will be to take control of the tie in the first leg at the Etihad on April 11, enabling them to qualify for the semi-finals a week later in Munich. That second leg on April 19 kickstarts three of City's most important fixtures of the season to date.
Getting past Bayern would give City a huge confidence boost and keep their Champions League hopes alive - even if Real Madrid could await in the last four. Returning from Munich after a Wednesday game will also boost the recovery for Saturday's FA Cup semi-final at Wembley against Sheffield United.
The Blues will be expected to win that fixture, despite Sheffield United's form in the Championship, but nothing is guaranteed. Guardiola is wary of City's poor record in FA Cup semi-finals and dealing with resetting after a Champions League second leg. They did it against Championship leaders Burnley, so will hope to do it again against the side in second place.
Get through to the FA Cup final, and City will be riding high going into what could be the most important fixture of the season altogether - more so than any potential finals or last-day, must-win games. Arsenal at home.
Four days after Wembley, City welcome Arsenal knowing they will almost certainly have to win to have a chance of winning the Premier League title. Guardiola likes to refer to knock-out games as a 'final', and this will be the third 'final' in a row at the end of the month. Nothing will be won, yet everything could be lost.
Go into May still alive in at least two competitions, and City will have plenty to fight for - although three will obviously be the goal. Then, the 'finals week' will be quickly forgotten, with more must-win games to come and every week becoming season-defining.
If City are to win anything, though, the last week in April will be decisive.
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