A week is a very long time in football, and West Ham United are the perfect example of that.
Heading into gameweek ten of the Premier League, there was little hope that the Hammers would be able to avoid relegation this year.
However, a thumping 3-1 win over Newcastle United, followed by a 3-2 win over Burnley seven days later, has rejuvenated Nuno Espírito Santo's side and given the supporters a belief that something positive could still come out of this season.
West Ham United manager Nuno Espirito Santo reacts
With that said, it'll still be a tough fight for the East Londoners, but fortunately, Nuno might have already found his new Morgan Gibbs-White, and no, it's not Lucas Paqueta.
The West Ham players vital to Nuno's fight for survival
While it won't be plain sailing to keep West Ham in the Premier League this season, Nuno does have a handful of players in his squad who should be good enough to help him to it.
For example, while he made just his second start for the side on Saturday, Freddie Potts has already proven that he has what it takes to be a leader in the middle of the park.
Blessed with "supreme confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball," per one analyst, the academy graduate is also just as happy and capable of getting stuck in with the less glamorous side of the game.
Moreover, with him playing deeper and mopping up opposition attacks, Paqueta should be able to focus more on happenings at the sharp end of the pitch.
The Brazilian international has been inconsistent for some time now, but his quality is undeniable, and with a goal to go with two stellar performances in the last week, it looks like the manager knows how to get the best out of him.
Lucas-Paqueta
Someone who'll be hugely important to the manager's fight for survival and a player the fans never have to worry about putting in a shift is Jarrod Bowen.
The England international is Mr West Ham, and with a sensational tally of 24 goal involvements last season and five already this year, the 28-year-old is arguably the most important player of all.
Finally, the pairing of Crysencio Summerville and El Hadji Malick Diouf gives the Hammers some real pace, power, and quality on the left, while ensuring that opposition teams cannot focus their attention solely on Bowen.
With all that said, there is another player, a summer signing, who could prove vital for West Ham this season, someone who could be Nuno's new Gibbs-White.
Nuno's new Gibbs-White
When examining the West Ham squad, the player who appears most likely to become Nuno's new Gibbs-White is Mateus Fernandes.
mateus Fernandes
The former Southampton gem joined the club in the summer for around £40m, and while he's had a slow start to life in the capital, he is now starting to show his immense quality.
For example, against the Clarets on Saturday, he was utterly sensational, plying three key passes, maintaining a passing accuracy of 98%, taking 74 touches, winning 100% of his tackles, making two interceptions and blocking a shot.
Fernandes' game vs Burnley
Minutes
Expected Assists
Key Passes
Accurate Passes
Long Balls
Touches
Tackles
Interceptions
Clearances
Blocked Shots
Recoveries
All Stats via Sofascore
It was the sort of performance that shows, like Gibbs-White, the Portuguese star is not only capable of doing the dirty work in the middle of the park, but is also more than able to play a quick one-two with his teammates or play a defence-splitting pass at a moment's notice.
However, his ability with the ball at his feet shouldn't be a surprise, as during his time in Portugal, respected analyst Ben Mattinson highlighted the fact that he could play "those KDB-type passes" with relative ease.
Moreover, it was only in the summer, after his first season in England, that former Southampton captain Jo Tessem described the 21-year-old as someone who "is becoming an ultimate Premier League midfielder," and, on a weekly basis "plays his heart out."
It's this combination of undeniable technical ability and tenacity that could help him become the manager's new Gibbs-White.
After all, the Forest star is someone who leads his side through his raw skill and force of personality.
Ultimately, it's going to be a long season for West Ham this year, but with the players at his disposal and a new Gibbs-White figure in Fernandes, Nuno should be able to avoid relegation.