Manchester United have been on the receiving end of Marcel Sabitzer's abilities.
Needing simply to avoid defeat away to RB Leipzig to make the Champions League last-16 in 2020, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team contrived to lose 3-2 to opponents they'd thumped 5-0 a few weeks earlier.
In just the second minute, United's back-line was completely caught out when Leipzig captain Sabitzer played a skilful, arcing ball across their box that Manchester City loanee Angelino thumped home at the back post.
Marcel Sabitzer (centre) set up RB Leipzig's opening goal for Angelino when they beat Manchester United 3-2 in the 2020-21 Champions League group stage
Man United coach Erik ten Hag moved for another midfielder after Christian Eriksen's injury
Eriksen will be out until late April at the earliest following Andy Carroll's horrendous tackle
Less than two hours later, they'd crashed into the Europa League.
Now, Sabitzer will become an important part of Erik ten Hag's plans as United chase success on four fronts in the remaining months of the season.
Given the intensity of their fixture list - starting against Nottingham Forest on Wednesday night, United play nine games in 29 days - it was essential to bring someone in after Christian Eriksen's injury left a gaping midfield hole.
It's possible that Austria international midfielder Sabitzer, who signed on loan from Bayern Munich on deadline day and was in the stands for United's Carabao Cup semi-final, second leg against Nottingham Forest at Old Trafford on Wednesday, offers an upgrade on the Dane even if their skillsets are slightly different.
Upon signing for United, Sabitzer said that 'sometimes in life you have to make quick and important decisions' - but this would have been an easy one.
Sabitzer, 28, had become frustrated at a shortage of game time at Bayern since Julian Nagelsmann, his coach at Leipzig, took him to the Allianz Arena with him in the summer of 2021.
Sabitzer was in the stands at Old Trafford to watch his new team as they took on Nottingham Forest
Sabitzer followed his Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann to Bayern Munich in 2021, but has been frustrated by a shortage of game time
Nagelsmann has used the Austrian midfielder sparingly amid strong competition for places
The ironic thing about that was Sabitzer, a Bayern fan as a kid, had a trial at the club aged 14 but was, according to then head of academy Werner Kern, so bad on the day 'even his agent apologised.'
He started just eight Bundesliga games and one Champions League match for Bayern last season and it hasn't improved a great deal this term.
Since German football restarted after the World Cup, Sabitzer has been on the field for just five minutes amid intense competition from the likes of Joshua Kimmich, Ryan Gravenberch, Thomas Muller and Jamal Musiala.
His agent Roger Wittmann said on deadline day: '[He's] the most unpleasant person to be around when he's not playing.
'He hates it when he loses. That's the bottom line. Character-wise, the kid is a killer. That's what players who always want to win look like.'
Naturally, Wittmann wanted to promote his client but it isn't the first time someone has spoken about Sabitzer's win-at-all-costs mentality.
Sabitzer is welcomed to Bayern in the traditional manner after joining the club in August 2021
Sabitzer was a Bayern fan as a kid and once failed miserably in a trial there when he was 14
But Sabitzer's (left) time at Bayern had seen game time severely restricted in big games
Ralf Rangnick, well known to United fans, was director of football for both Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg when he identified Sabitzer as a promising player at Rapid Vienna and signed him to the German club in 2014.
'He has never liked to lose, which I absolutely believe is a positive thing,' said Rangnick. 'But he used to get a little too fired up.'
A player unafraid to give a rocket to under-performing team-mates will certainly appeal to Ten Hag as he seeks to restore lapsed standards at Old Trafford.
No doubt Ten Hag will nod sagely at Sabitzer's refusal to eat crisps to ensure he is in tip-top condition and his insistence on being in bed by 10pm.
'I can tell anyone in the team the truth to their face and would want it to be the same the other way round. Honesty is the absolute priority for me,' Sabitzer has said.
Sabitzer has, however, spoken of adopting a mellower side since the birth of his daughter Mary Lou in April 2019. His partner is Katja Kuhne, who won TV dating show 'The Bachelor' in 2014 and is nine years his senior.
Sabitzer with his partner Katja Kuhne and daughter Mary Lou in an Instagram picture
Katja was the winner of the German TV dating show 'Der Bachelor' back in 2014
On the pitch, Sabitzer has been used as a No 6 defensive midfielder by Nagelsmann but the brilliance of Casemiro in United's side means he's likely to be more of a No 8.
The key qualities Sabitzer will bring is box-to-box energy, composure in possession and a very good long-range shooting ability, including from free-kicks.
Eriksen has impressed as a creative force, picking passes and carving out chances, but Sabitzer should offer more of a goal threat. For Leipzig he recorded 52 goals and 42 assists in 229 games.
He also has the engine to help out more defensively should the need arise and if he plays with Casemiro, United's back line should be well shielded.
The 'Sabitzer howitzer' became a common sight at Leipzig, with the midfielder unafraid to strike the ball from 30 yards or more. Many a goalkeeper has been deceived by the swerve in the air.
One German journalist on deadline day colourfully said he 'shoots like a horse.'
Sabitzer gained a reputation for spectacular long range strikes when he played for Leipzig
He will also be stood alongside Marcus Rashford and Bruno Fernandes when United win a free-kick within shooting range, though he has only scored three of them in Germany.
The big question for United is how rusty Sabitzer is, having played so little in the last three months.
His last competitive outing before that brief cameo against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday night was a friendly between Austria and Italy on November 20.
Ten Hag and United desperately need him to hit the ground running. They have very good momentum at present and cannot afford Eriksen's injury to disrupt that.
Sabitzer hasn't really played for three months since an international outing for Austria
Now comes a pivotal month. They have one foot in the Carabao Cup final but then face Crystal Palace, a quick-fire double-header with Leeds United, Barcelona in the Europa League twice, Leicester, Brentford and then West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round - all by March 1.
But given Sabitzer's attributes and mentality, he promises to be another shrewd addition under the Dutch coach.
