Reyes’ decline in form coincided with a controversial incident with Spain manager Luis Aragonés.

Just weeks before the visit to Old Trafford, Aragonés was caught on camera making racist remarks about Arsenal talisman Thierry Henry, telling Reyes he was far better than the Frenchman. Left in an awkward position that was never his fault, reports spoke of a fall out between Reyes and Henry; an awkward friction in the dressing room. Reyes had hailed Thierry Henry as the world’s best yet Aragonés told him to believe himself more, including racial comments against Henry.

That, however, had never affected the form of Reyes prior to the game in Manchester.

Nine league starts and nearly four months followed, without Reyes netting in the Premier League. A goal in the rout of Crystal Palace changed that, but the damage had already been done.

Reyes scored the goal following a tough week, and Henry praised his character. Early in February, Reyes had been caught out during a prank phonecall with Spanish radio station Cadena COPE, where he thought he was speaking to Real Madrid’s sporting director Emiliano Butragueno. He practically begged Madrid to sign him, citing issues with teammates and a disillusioned time in England.

As Robin van Persie improved, and Henry and Bergkamp were playing, Reyes was played wide more often than not. That hadn’t troubled him before, but did stifle any fledgling partnership with Arsenal’s main man.

Reyes went on to end the season with the winner in a North London Derby and a goal in a win over Liverpool but still looked a shadow of the player who had lit English football alight in August.

The FA Cup Final saw Reyes sent off in the closing stages, as he fouled Cristiano Ronaldo. A sorry season ended with a red card against a direct rival – with their similar ages and arrivals at the elite clubs in England, Ronaldo and Reyes were always compared.

What could have been.