It was almost like in a moment Reece James remembered how good a footballer he has become.
The opening half at Turf Moor had sadly played out like many of Chelsea's recent attacking displays without their inspirational right wingback. The pace of the game was slow, the movement uninspiring and the thirst for creativity still clear.
Then with three swivels of his hips to cause five Burnley defenders to do the hokey cokey, he drilled a shot beyond Nick Pope to set in motion a second half of pure fun.
Then we were transported back to Autumn when Thomas Tuchel's men were flourishing, playing with such conviction and flair on a regular basis.
Tuchel was clearly relieved the have James back starting a Premier League game for the first time in over two months when speaking to media after the 4-0 win.
"We missed him for such a long time that we almost got used to it. I think it was like nine weeks and we played something like 25 matches in that time. We were constantly trying to find solutions and we did find solutions as a team, and we managed to win games and even trophies in this period.
"But once he is back and plays three times, and first time from the beginning, you see what we missed. Huge quality and it's very impressive how decisive he is in training and in the games.
"These positions are very important positions if you play with this structure and it's the same on the left side. So it puts things into perspective when you see what we missed and I am very happy that he came back like this."
James came off the bench in last Sunday's Carabao Cup final, playing 70 minutes due to extra time before a 14-minute cameo at Kenilworth Road in midweek against Luton.
It hasn't taken long for the 22-year-old to quickly return to his talismanic heights in an attack that has so desperately lacked a cutting edge.
Transfermarkt has James valued at £49m but his value to Chelsea should probably triumph the £90m mark. And his young age only adds further to the belief we are witnessing the development of a generational talent.
His low drilled finish to break the deadlock against Burnley, with the addition of a fine assist for Kai Havertz's second, means that James is the only defender in Europe's top five leagues this season to have scored 5+ goals and have 5+ assists.
That same combination of James and Havertz combined for the opener in November's contest between both sides back in November. But unlike at Stamford Bridge, there would be no reprieve for Sean Dyche.
His assist was the typical run inside the box that so capitalised Tuchel's dynamic wingback play before the injuries to James and Ben Chilwell stuck during winter.
It looked like a simple pass, but then, that is what makes James such a special talent – he makes brilliant things look effortless. At times almost nonchalantly.
Barging someone off the ball? No problem. Carving out a pinpoint cross? Does it in his sleep. Casually execute a Zidane roulette out of a Burnley challenge? Easy.
BBC commentator Guy Mowbray said it was "like Zidane" during Match of The Day highlights of the game and it so epitomised the expression and freedom this Chelsea team have been craving.
James' mere presence opens up doors for others. After his goal, Burnley were shellshocked and scared of his ability, which then lifted the spirits of Chelsea's other attackers in Havertz, Christian Pulisic and Mason Mount.
The connections Tuchel speaks about so regularly in attack begin with a talent like James. His return will hopefully lift a lot of the burden off others whilst giving them a better platform to discover their best form.
What is probably the nicest thing about James' return is the reality of how vital a cog he has become for Chelsea. The player fans got excited over during the academy days and his bright loan at Wigan is truly developing into a game-changer.
Even if the injury was a devastating setback, this season can still be one where James stepped out as not only one of Chelsea's best but one of Europe's top players.
Make sure you have subscribed to CareFreeChelsea on YouTube! The Fan Brands team along with plenty of your football.london favourites will be producing daily Chelsea content for you to enjoy including match reactions, podcasts, football fun and interviews. You can follow Daniel Childs from the CareFreeChelsea team to keep up to date with his work. If you enjoyed reading this then give my other articles a read below.
