It is almost since 12 months since Marcus Rashford stopped short of pouncing on a loose ball inside the penalty area during Manchester United's 1-0 FA Cup win over Aston Villa last season, generating a sea of groans from the stands.
After Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez had fumbled an effort, allowing the ball to escape his grasp and bounce free inside the 18-yard box, Rashford, instead of trying to get to it first and double United's lead, made no attempt to go for it, instead beginning to turn away before Martinez had even reclaimed it. It was the sign of a man who was not enjoying his football and had scored just three goals all season.
Things barely improved for the academy graduate between that second Monday in January and the end of the season. He ended the campaign with a paltry five goals to his name, a far cry from the 21 he had plundered the season earlier.
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But with United not having yet reached the halfway mark in their maiden season under Erik ten Hag, Rashford has been a man reborn. His outstanding solo effort in Wednesday night's 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Burnley moved him to within touching distance of reaching double figures this season already.
It marked his ninth and best goal of the campaign in all competitions so far. In fact, you could say that he has scored 12 when you consider the three he scored during England's World Cup campaign in Qatar.
His transformation under Ten Hag, as pleasing and welcoming as it is, says a lot about the way smart and sensible management from the Dutchman has rekindled the 25-year-old's career. He has been a breath of fresh air this season, almost like a new recruit in comparison to last season's woes.
His goal against Burnley highlighted that confidence and belief is flowing through his veins at this moment in time. You could never have imagined him having the belief to go on such a willing run and find the net at the end of it last season, could you? No chance.
Ten Hag has injected confidence and belief into him in bucket loads. Both his career and mindset have been revitalised by the Dutchman, who has waxed lyrical about him time and time again since succeeding Ralf Rangnick during the summer.
But not only has Ten Hag restored his confidence, he has also allowed Rashford to live up to the billing and high expectation levels again. In August, a few days after Rashford had netted his first goal of the season to help the Reds beat Liverpool 2-1 at Old Trafford, the United boss outlined how he believed the academy graduate had the necessary tools to become a key figure in the Reds' objective of making progress this season.
"I am convinced about that," said Ten Hag, when asked if Rashford could become an influential figure this season. "From the first moment in pre-season, he impressed me, and I knew already before he was a magnificent talent and player, but he shows in every training session that he is really positive, has good energy, [his] pre-season was good, and I hope he will continue like this and be positive.
"With his movements, he will always create chances, the team will create him chances and he has to believe that he and the team will do that and it's about getting the right finish. I'm convinced of that, that he can stick in that belief, yes."
Rashford has certainly been central to much of United's good fortune so far this term. The versatile attacker, who operated on the right against Burnley, despite being comfortable on the opposite flank, has scored nine goals and registered three assists in just 20 appearances, as well as being hugely influential overall.
His willing runs and improved awareness to take up good positions in attacking scenarios has evidently stemmed from Ten Hag's management style. He has repaid the Dutchman's faith in him and is now a question of just how many goals he is capable of racking up this season.
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