When Manchester City needed a spark to break down Brentford's stubborn defence at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening, Raheem Sterling answered the call and obliged.
The winger, who has resurrected his City career in recent months after finding opportunities hard to come by at the start of the season, despite shining so brightly for England at the European Championship last summer, was instrumental in helping City find a way to record a seventh successive Premier League home win.
He drew the foul that allowed Riyad Mahrez to score the game's opening goal from the penalty spot with a positive, uplifting run, before seeing his saved effort tucked away by Kevin De Bruyne for City's second on the rebound with 69 minutes on the clock.
Although City had to be patient and display strict levels of professionalism against the Bees, Sterling's ability to conjure something up in the blink of an eye was the difference, highlighting the importance he will play in City's pursuit of their second consecutive Premier League crown.
Considering how his season has evolved over the last few months, it makes it all the more surprising that Guardiola felt confident enough to send his side out into battle without him, even though his squad is plagued with world-class talent everywhere you look.
But Sterling's tally of nine goals and three assists in all competitions this season has proven how instrumental he is to Guardiola's plans and how he will continue to be moving forward. At 27 years old, the former Liverpool man, it could be argued, is yet to reach his ceiling.
His raw pace, ability to glide past defenders, score goals and create opportunities for his team-mates are just a handful of his qualities that make him such a luxury and joy to watch.
Considering that Sterling, back in October, admitted that he would be open to leaving the Etihad Stadium if his level of opportunities failed to increase, City now face the prospect of tying him down to a new contract as a matter of urgency. His current deal expires in the summer of 2023 and the winger, who will be hoping to shine for England at the World Cup later this year, is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal.
But whilst City will never be short on world-class talent, nor will they ever struggle to find the next level of generational talent to pick up the baton from the likes of Ruben Dias, Ilkay Gundogan and De Bruyne in years to come, Sterling remains an important component in what they are currently trying to achieve, both in the here now and in the not too distant future.
His pace is what makes him stand out from the crowd and it is an unrivalled quality that City cannot live without, certainly not when you break down how Sterling made such a difference against Brentford, who set their stall out to head back down south with a point in the bag.
With Sterling having been closely linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium in recent months, including to the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, there has been constant speculation surrounding his future, even though he has just under 18 months left to run on his current deal.
But when you take into account just how special a player Sterling has turned into under Guardiola's stewardship, the England ace has proven that he still has a part to play. His talent and his importance has continued to rise season-on-season and City can ill-afford to part ways with him just yet.
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