For a player who has been sleepwalking through much of this season, Ross Barkley's 'wake-up call' couldn't have come soon enough.
That is how Ronald Koeman described his decision to drop the midfielder for last weekend's 1-1 draw at Manchester City, a game which Barkley was forced to watch entirely from the bench.
A run of 55 consecutive Premier League appearances came to an end at the Etihad, and with good reason, too. Barkley simply did not warrant a place in the starting XI.
Barkley is attempting to break back into the team after being a substitute last weekend (right)
The 22-year-old's omission was not completely down to his recent form, with Koeman opting for a more defensively-minded midfield three against Pep Guardiola's stylish side.