Bundesliga
Having struggled for fitness upon his arrival at Signal Iduna Park from Chelsea, Carney Chukwuemeka has found his feet in recent weeks, with his performances seeming to improve week by week. He opened his account for the Black Yellows against Freiburg on Matchday 28, and played a part in all three of his side's goals against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 30.
You just wonder how much bigger his impact would have been had he not struggled with knee and thigh problems after Dortmund added Chukwuemeka to their ranks on deadline day of the winter transfer window.
Chukwuemeka also joined at a difficult time, with the side sat in 11th despite three wins from the previous five games before his arrival.
But now, the young midfielder is beginning to make his mark, consistently impressing whenever he has been given the chance in this second half of the season. In the clash with fellow European hopefuls Gladbach , he replaced the injured Maximilian Beier in the first half and turned the game on its head.
Chukwuemeka's contributions led the team to their 900th Bundesliga victory, becoming only the second club after Bayern Munich to reach that number.
"When Carney came on, things turned around," said Dortmund boss Niko Kovač, delighted with the positive impact his substitution had. Clever ball recoveries by the youngster were the genesis of goals one and two, while the third was the result of his twisting dribble followed by a perfect cross, which again led to the assist for the goal.
"It's about where the weak points are. The important thing was that we won the ball," Kovač explained. Chukwuemeka hit the mark on both factors as it is not only the Austrian-born England U21's talent but also his industry that has enabled him to make such an impact.
He averages 31 sprints per 90 minutes and covers 8.3 miles, the sort of distance a world-class defensive central midfielder would be proud of. With 61 per cent of his duels won, he is as combative as he is creative.
"Carney was the game-changer for us," praised Kovač after the Freiburg game. "He's fantastic on the ball, turns quickly, and attacks the last line. He's getting better with every game."
Despite making only one start so far, his form has certainly been a key factor in a five-game unbeaten run that includes four wins. It has left Dortmund just three points behind fourth-placed Freiburg in the last of the coveted UEFA Champions League spots, and BVB enjoy a far superior goal difference (+14) with three games left this season.