Everything changed for Leeds United and Daniel Farke during half-time at Manchester City on November 29.
The promoted side, who began that weekend in the relegation zone, were 2-0 down at the Etihad and their first season back in the Premier League appeared to be heading in only one direction.
However, the game turned after the restart with Farke's change of formation to 3-5-2. Leeds may have fallen just short on the day - losing 3-2 - but that proved to be the turning point for their season.
The subsequent transformation has been nothing short of remarkable.
Sitting six points clear of relegation ahead of Saturday's return fixture against City at Elland Road, live on Your Site, Leeds' flying wing-backs Gabriel Gudmundsson and Jayden Bogle sat down with Michael Dawson to explain what has been behind the turnaround.
"We've changed the system," Gudmundsson tells Your Site. "We've got a lot of confidence in that, especially with the games we've had directly with Chelsea and Liverpool.
"This is a really good group we have, we always stay together, no matter what."
Leeds have started with a base of three central defenders ever since and become one of the hardest teams to beat in the Premier League, losing only twice. They are also unbeaten home and away against Chelsea and Liverpool.
Over that 14-game period, Leeds are eighth in the Premier League form table after taking 20 points from a possible 42. City come up against entirely different side to the one they faced at the Etihad three months ago.
Farke's decision to add an extra body in defence and push the two full-backs further up the pitch has addressed Leeds' shortcomings in wide forward areas and platformed two of his best players by giving them licence to get more involved in the attacking third.
"It's a joy to play," says Bogle of being a wing-back. "The main role is defensive first, but the freedom we get to go forward as well on both sides - sometimes we're both in the six-yard box and competing for the ball - and that side of it is nice."
Bogle scored in a 3-1 win over Nottingham Forest earlier this month thanks to a darting run he made in behind the defence. It was the type of run you would expect a striker to make - but the full-back showed the composure of a finisher to poke past Stefan Ortega.
"The manager gets us to make runs like that and try and catch teams off-guard, because you don't really expect it, [and gives us] that freedom to get into creative areas," Bogle says of his goal. "When we've got the ball we want to be entertaining, we want to create."
Farke had never started with a back three as Leeds manager before defeat at City, yet the transition was seamless. Days later his side bullied Chelsea to win 3-1 at Elland Road before pegging Liverpool back twice to draw 3-3 at home.
"I played a wing-back when I was in Holland," Gudmundsson explains. "I'm quite used to it. "Me and Jayden, the profile he has, it suits us very well to go forward. We run a lot."
Although there are similarities between the pair, Leeds' change in formation has impacted their roles in different ways. Bogle has become relied upon as more of an attacking threat while Gudmundsson's defensive output has increased.
Bogle's has doubled his chances created per 90 (0.32 to 0.74), his touches in the opposition box have risen from 1.65 to 2.96 and, remarkably, the frequency he wins possession in the attacking third has increased five fold per 90 (0.16 to 0.83).
Relative to the rest of the league's full-backs over the entire season, Bogle is ranked in the top five for touches in the opposition box and possession won in the final third.
For Gudmundsson, his duels won, tackles and possession won per 90 have all increased since the formation change. The summer signing's hard work frees up Bogle to be in those positions that hurt opposition teams.
Gudmundsson is also in the division's top 10 among full-backs for tackles won and top five for duels won and fouls won.
Between them, they have become two of the most productive full-backs in the Premier League.
You would be hard pressed finding two players in the Leeds squad that have been more important to their transformation. They are nearly unrecognisable from the side that lost eight of their first 13 league games.
"We went through a tough spell, which I think ultimately brought us together a bit more," says Bogle. "It made us realise the position we were in. We needed to change a few things and get tougher to beat."
Leeds have done that. Emphatically.
Now they face title-chasing City once again with a genuine sense that they can hurt them. A slip from Pep Guardiola's side, five points off leaders Arsenal, would be a big blow to them in the race to become champions.
"There's more pressure on them," Gudmundsson says of Saturday's game. "The fans always push us one or two per cent more that we really need in these games."
The fact the game is taking place at Elland Road under the lights only strengthens their hand.
Leeds have not lost any of their last 25 league or play-off matches at home that have kicked off after 5pm (W20 D5) since a 6-1 defeat to Liverpool in April 2023.
"It's hard to describe really," Bogle says of the Elland Road atmosphere. "It can really help you in games, especially when things are maybe not going your way. Feeling the support from the fans behind you can get you back in games.
"That's why we're never really out of games too often. The support is special."
When Leeds last played City, they were in the bottom three and left the Etihad with a 3-2 defeat and the blueprint for survival. Now City must face the consequences.
Watch Leeds United vs Man City live on Your Site Premier League and Main Event from 5pm Saturday, kick-off 5.30pm.
