When the electronic board was raised to signal a substitution shortly after the hour mark at Old Trafford on Wednesday night, Antony was replaced by Jadon Sancho and the wide, beaming grin etched across his face was visible from the Stretford End.
Erik ten Hag also couldn't help but smile and the player was greeted by chants of 'Sancho, Sancho, Sancho' as he entered the field. It was the first time his name had been chanted and it was a heartwarming moment for a player who has struggled.
The £72.9million that was invested in Sancho to sign him for Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2021 seemed like a genuine coup, but his time at the club has not gone to plan and his appearance against Nottingham Forest was his first in three months.
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Sancho was last named in a matchday squad against West Ham in the Premier League on October 30 and he spent time away from the squad throughout November and December, as he looked to improve his fitness levels and rediscover his form.
In that period, Sancho decided to take a break from social media, he trained with coaches in the Netherlands at Dutch amateur club OJC Rosmale on the recommendation of Ten Hag and he was absent from the winter training camp in Spain.
Sources indicated Sancho was working hard to improve his form, taking advice from Ten Hag and he finally returned to first-team training in mid-January, appearing to have become a leaner, physically improved version of himself.
Something has not been right for Sancho over the last three months and the way the club have handled the situation deserves to be lauded, as the player might not have been given patience and time in a past era when attitudes were different.
Ten Hag has been key in that and he's found the right balance between empathy and encouragement in the player's return to the pitch. He's produced the right tone in his answers to questions about Sancho and the player is grateful for that.
The 53-year-old stressed he was impatient about Sancho's absence in early January, but he always maintained the 'process' would not be rushed and that has allowed the player to return to the first-team in the best mental and physical shape possible.
It was little surprise to see Sancho beaming as he entered the pitch on Wednesday night and his reaction after the full-time showed how much he appreciated the brilliant reception he received from the thousands of fans inside Old Trafford.
After the game, Sancho walked to each corner of the ground and applauded the supporters who remained in Old Trafford and he was one of the last players to leave the pitch, as it probably began to sink in how long he'd actually been away for.
"Most important players (have to) enjoy football, which gives energy, that gives them the motivation to act and to perform," Ten Hag said about Sancho after the game. "He has really high standards, he has great capabilities to contribute to our team.
"The team is improving, we are playing more in the opponent's half and his capabilities are coming more to the fore [then]. He can act on them more and have more touches on the ball and that gives him the best platform to perform.
"I think it was great, the reception from the fans to him, and also that will give him even more a push to continue in the way he's now acting. He has just started again, he is back in Carrington, and hopefully he can keep that - he is important to us."
Sancho has the talent to be 'important' to the side, of course, but it's now time for the player to show that. The club and supporters have shown him admirable patience, but he must repay that in the next few months by producing consistent performances
He's only managed to contribute eight goals and four assists in 53 appearances for United, but he's been given a unique chance to reset and improve by Ten Hag, which should mean the 'Borussia Dortmund Sancho' is set to arrive in Manchester.
Sancho was shown love by supporters on Wednesday night and the best way to show thanks is on the pitch.
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