Just when Thomas Tuchel thought his England squad for the World Cup was practically picking itself, Phil Foden has stepped up and thrown a massive, positive spanner in the works.
If the England manager was watching Manchester City’s dismantling of Crystal Palace on Wednesday night, which he probably was, his selection headache will have just intensified into a full-blown migraine.
Phil Foden, at long last, appears to be back. With City chasing the Premier League title, and the World Cup on the horizon, he appears to have timed his late resurgence to perfection.
Last night was a timely reminder of his quality. Two assists led to City claiming all three points, meaning their battle for the crown with Arsenal remains in the balance.
Such is the depth of England's attack there is a genuine possibility that Foden, a six-time league winner, will find himself watching this summer's showpiece event from home like millions of fans around the world.
When you have Jude Bellingham, Bukayo Saka, Morgan Rogers, Cole Palmer, Jarrod Bowen, Eberechi Eze and more, the competition for those coveted spots behind Harry Kane is fiercer than it has ever been in the history of the Three Lions.
But, on Wednesday night, Foden delivered a timely, emphatic reminder of exactly why he possesses something nobody else in that squad quite has.
Thomas Tuchel is currently contemplating his England squad for this summer's World Cup
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This is a player who, on his day, is simply unplayable.
His performance against Palace was a throwback to the Foden of two seasons ago, whose electrifying performances saw him crowned Premier League Player of the Season.
Foden is a serial winner. Under the relentless demands of Pep Guardiola, he has amassed a trophy cabinet that most retired legends would envy.
Phil Foden was outstanding on Wednesday night as Manchester City beat Crystal Palace
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England's record in their last five major tournaments | GB NEWSHe knows how to navigate high-pressure, elite-level football. He knows how to unlock low blocks, and he knows how to produce moments of magic when the chips are down.
Tuchel now faces the ultimate dilemma.
How do you fit Foden, Bellingham, Saka, and more into the same travelling party - let alone the same starting XI - without compromising the balance of the team?
It is the sort of problem previous England managers would have given their right arm for, but it is a problem nonetheless.
Tuchel is a pragmatist; he likes structure and he likes discipline.
But World Cups are so often decided by moments of sheer, unadulterated magic.
Phil Foden ran the show as Man City beat Crystal Palace at the Etihad
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You need players who can produce something out of nothing when the game is deadlocked.
You need a match-winner, a gladiator and a dictator of fixtures all in one.
Foden provides that spark. He has an 'X-factor'. He remains, for all his individual shortcomings this season, a player who possesses the ability to win and change matches. In the sweltering North American heat, he's still an asset that is potentially worth taking.
Form is temporary, but class is permanent. Wednesday night at Selhurst Park proved that Foden's class remains entirely untouched.
Whether Tuchel now opts to bring him to the World Cup this summer remains to be seen.
Perhaps, if City win the crown with their academy graduate playing a starring role, that will be enough to secure a spot on the plane.