FiFA's decision to reduce the release time for players ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations meant that the Premier League's tournament-bound stars were able to squeeze in one more weekend of top flight football before jetting off to Morocco.
Nigeria's Samuel Chukwueze and Ibrahim Sangaré of Ivory Coast both ensured they made the most of it.
There was some understandable consternation among national team managers and federation chiefs earlier this month when FIFA announced that they had shortened the release team ahead of the Nations Cup from 14 days to seven, meaning that clubs were only obliged to release their players one week before their team's opening AFCON fixture.
It's given national teams a week less of preparation time, while also potentially costing Sébastien Haller the chance to defend the title with the Cote d'Ivoire after picking up a hamstring injury in Utrecht's draw at NAC Breda on Sunday.
For several AFCON-bound stars, however, this final weekend of club action before they embark on their continental quest represented an opportunity to sign off on a high, with Fulham's Nigerians and Forest midfield general Sangare doing exactly that.
While Anglo-Ghanaian forward Callum Hudson-Odoi received much of the credit for Nottingham Forest's comfortable 3-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the City Ground on Sunday, Sangare was the lynchpin of the Tricky Trees' victory, revealing the qualities that once made him among the most sought-after midfielders in Europe.
The 28-year-old lost his place in the side earlier in the campaign, with Ange Postecoglou preferring Douglas Luiz, Ryan Yates or Nicolás Domínguez alongside Elliot Anderson at stages during his brief and muddled tenure with the two-time European champions.
In fairness to the ill-fated Australian head coach, Sangare's showing against Arsenal in a 3-0 defeat on September 13 was tough to watch, with the Ivorian lacking concentration, intensity and urgency as Forest failed to take any control of the midfield battle.
The arrival of Sean Dyche has changed the complexion of life at Forest for Sangare, with the ex-Everton head coach clearly taking an interest in the former Toulouse man, and outlining a clear desire to get the most out of the midfielder.
As Dyche has turned the tide for the relegation battlers, so Sangare -- a player who was once booed by his own club's fans -- has come to the fore for Forest.
His display against Spurs this weekend came in stark contrast to that performance against Arsenal two months ago, as the Elephant registered two assists -both for Hudson-Odoi -- before slamming home a wondergoal himself.
It's the first time since May 1996 that a Forest player -- current assistant coach Steve Stone -- registered two assists and scored in a single match.
The Ivorian set the tone four minutes into the contest, as he headed against the Tottenham post after meeting Nicolò Savona's fine cross, and was influential as the hosts opened the scoring 25 minutes later, when he robbed Archie Gray after a thoughtless Guglielmo Vicario left the youngster vulnerable. Sangare duly squared for Hudson-Odoi, who made little mistake from close range.
Early in the second half, he played in Hudson-Odoi for his second -- a speculative cross that looped over the hapless Vicario -- before adding a stunning third 11 minutes from time, when he thumped home off the Italian stopper's crossbar.
An emphatic way to cap off a truly excellent performance by the midfield general, this was comfortably his best showing of the season, as he doubled his assist tally from the entirety of his previous two years at Forest.
This is what Tricky Trees fans had been waiting for from a player who was once attracting interest from some of the Prem's biggest clubs ahead of a move to PSV Eindhoven in 2020.
He was aggressive and urgent -- not least in hassling poor Gray for the opener -- energetic, determined, reading the play effectively, and compensating for his technical limitations with his immense stamina and selflessness.
He registered two tackles and three clearances during the course of the contest, and was proactive in contributing to Forest's attack, leading the press, knitting the play together and seeking to get the best out of the hosts' attacking talents.
"[Ibrahim's] certainly put a shift in for us, and we know he can play, we know he understands the game," Dyche said in his post-match press conference. "Previously, he's had a few injuries as well, which have maybe cost him.
"I've enjoyed working with him. He works hard on the training pitch, and he comes in with a smile and gets on with it," he added. "He's shown what he can do and continued to do so today with a great goal."
Sangare's partnership with Anderson has the potential to be one of the most effective in the top flight, and when the West African returns from the AFCON -- whether after three matches or seven -- he can look to build on this outstanding display and belatedly realise his potential on the banks of the Trent.
22 months ago, Sangare was part of the Ivory Coast side that came from behind to defeat Nigeria 2-1 at the Stade Alassane Ouattara outside Abidjan, with Samuel Chukwueze and Calvin Bassey both starting for the Super Eagles on that occasion.
Both will be hoping to go one further this time around, and Chukuweze -- in particular -- is in awesome form as the tournament approaches.
Indeed, how many other players at the AFCON can point to three assists and two goals in their last five matches as they look to make their mark at the continental showpiece.
After a slow start to life at Fulham, Chukwueze extended his fine recent run with the decisive assist -- securing the Cottagers' third in a 3-2 victory at Burnley -- to secure three points for Marco Silva's side before they lose three Nigerians (Alex Iwobi will also depart) to the AFCON.
Just before the hour mark, Chukwueze was critical during a smart counterattack, playing in Harry Wilson just inside the box before the Welshman added the visitors' third with a low shot.
Despite starting just three matches this term, the AC Milan loanee is the joint-fourth highest assist-maker in the Prem -- having played far fewer minutes than almost any other player (the exception being Rayan Cherki) to have set up four goals or more.
While Fulham will be loath to lose the in-form Chukwueze for the busy Christmas period, the wideman himself may also be concerned about halting the rare career momentum that he's enjoying here in West London.
He's had as many goal involvements in his last five matches as he did in the entirety of last season with Milan, and will be desperate - how ever long his AFCON involvement continues -- to return to Fulham like he never left.
Bassey had earlier scored his first league goal of the season when he headed home from close range after being picked out by the returning Antonee Robinson to put Fulham 2-1 up, and with the influential Iwobi also departing, Silva must find a way to ensure the Cottagers can get by without the absent trio.
"If you lose three players, it's tough, but we knew that from last July," the Portuguese coach said ahead of Wednesday's EFL Cup quarterfinal at Newcastle United. "When we signed Chukwueze, we knew it, we should have been prepared for that situation.
"We have to face the competitions with the players we have," he added. "We are very very pleased to have these players with us.
"We believed in Calvin. I took Iwobi from Arsenal to Everton, then to Fulham. We have to be careful, if we sign more (African) players. We have to have the right balance."