Newcastle United stormed to their second Premier League win of the season over newly-promoted Fulham last Saturday, with the Magpies producing a ruthless display against their ten-man opponents following Nathaniel Chalobah's early dismissal.
The star attraction on the day was arguably Paraguayan playmaker Miguel Almiron, with the 28-year-old netting a brilliance brace to help secure victory, including a stunning volleyed effort as part of a blistering first-half showing from the Tynesiders.
The former Atlanta United man - who arrived in England on a £21m deal back in 2019 - was unsurprisingly lauded by manager Eddie Howe following that eye-catching display, with the former Bournemouth boss suggesting that he is capable of "magical things" such is his quality.
That standout showing had seemingly showcased the £42.3k-per-week man's importance to the side having faced criticism in recent times, with Steve Wraith notably dubbing him a "headless chicken" a few seasons ago, having scored only 17 goals and provided five assists in 131 games for the northeast side to date.
Having been linked with an exit over the summer, the dynamic ace has seemingly now vindicated his place in the side, with teammate Joe Willock another who also shook off recent criticism to produce an eye-catching performance against the Cottagers.
The former Arsenal man laid on two assists in what was a fine midfield performance in the win over Marco Silva's side, registering four key passes in total and providing two shots on target as a sign of his potent, creative threat in the final third.
The Englishman was rightly praised by his manager following that performance, with Howe stating post-match:
“Joe did very well today, he shifted sides, went to the left of our midfield three. Did very well.
“Full of energy, full of endeavour. Desperate to score himself, but never allowed himself to become selfish. He was always playing for the team.
“Delighted with Joe and how his performances are developing. I think there’s a lot more to come but some good signs.”
The 23-year-old had been unable to provide any goal contributions prior to that weekend win, having faced criticism for his performances in recent weeks, with journalist Andrew Musgrove claiming that the youngster is "not stepping up" at present.
In truth, Willock had seemingly not helped himself after setting the bar so high during his loan stint at the club during the tail end of the 2020/21 season under Steve Bruce, scoring eight goals in just 14 league games - including bagging in seven successive games - to help fire the club to safety.
That "stunning" form - as described by journalist Graeme Bailey - led to a £25m permanent switch to St James' Park last summer, with such a sizeable fee, as well as his previous showings during that temporary spell, seemingly unfairly raising expectations among supporters.
A return of just two league goals last term was no doubt underwhelming, although this latest performance has illustrated the part the £20k-per-week gem can play moving forward, with the hope being that it is a sign of things to come.