Young midfielder Hannibal has been making a real impression after joining Birmingham City on loan from Manchester United, and has now added the one thing missing - a first senior goal.
The Tunisian international joined the Championship club on a season-long loan over the summer, having played three Premier League games for his parent club over the previous two seasons, and will see out the season at St Andrew's. He has featured in every single game for John Eustace's side, notching a number of assists, but was still waiting for his first goal.
That changed on Friday, though, as the Blues took on West Bromwich Albion in a West Midlands derby. The goal came from a moment of improvisation, too, and may well have impressed Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag.
As Hannibal lined up a free-kick from the right, a ball into the box looked the most likely outcome. Indeed, as he raised a hand towards his team-mates, it appeared that was what he was planning.
Instead, though, he spotted a gap at the near post and went for goal instead. Goalkeeper David Button scrambled across, but was unable to keep the ball out.
Birmingham won the reverse fixture against West Brom in September, with Scott Hogan scoring a hat-trick in a 3-2 victory at The Hawthorns. The Baggies have improved since then under manager Carlos Corberan, climbing the table while Eustace's men have slipped to 18th, so the first-half opener was a welcome sight.
After the game, Hannibal remained coy when asked about making an impression on Erik ten Hag. Even as Birmingham team-mate Krystian Bielik insisted the United boss will have been watching, the youngster insisted he needs to focus on performances across the rest of his loan spell.
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In August, before completing his loan move, Hannibal was bullish about his United future. "I said to myself, 'oh yeah, I need to work hard!'" the youngster told Pro-Direct Soccer France.
"I didn't come here for nothing, not to have on my CV: 'I played for United'. I came to prove to the world that a young person from Paris, from the neighbourhood, can come and impose himself. And me...I'm ready to risk everything to succeed at United."
Hannibal's first Premier League minutes came on the final day of the 2020-21 season as Man Utd faced Wolves. He made further appearances last term against Liverpool and Crystal Palace, starting against the Eagles, and was on the bench for United's game away to Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
The youngster has been attracting attention from Marseille off the back of his form at St Andrews, with the Ligue 1 club reportedly looking at a potential move. Eustace, meanwhile, has been praising the loanee for much of the season.
"The way he has played in the last couple of games has been phenomenal," the manager said in October. "He has broken records for total distance [covered], all that kind of stuff.
"It was important we also used the squad. [Juninho] Bacuna came in today and did well and Hanni came on for that last half hour and was very good. I have said it is a squad game, everyone will be used, we are certainly stretched at the moment but it's important everyone gets that opportunity to play and feel wanted."
