Allan's first Champions League start for City went the distance, and the timing could hardly be better for Enzo Maresca.
The 22-year-old winger played the full 90 minutes of Tuesday's 5-1 win over AEK Athens, only his second start since arriving in the summer. His previous outing in the eleven came in the Carabao Cup third-round tie against Norwich City last month, a match in which he scored and assisted.
There was no repeat of that end product against the Greek side. Supporters on X were still impressed by what they saw, though, with the general tone suggesting a first Champions League appearance had done the winger's cause no harm.
Allan has spoken about the adjustment to life in a new country. Moving abroad, he said, had been more challenging than he anticipated. That kind of honesty is rare enough in a post-match interview.
Semenyo setback opens a door
Maresca confirmed that Antoine Semenyo will be sidelined for up to two months with a knee injury. The Ghanaian international hobbled off during last weekend's 3-2 win over Ipswich Town and could miss as many as 14 matches, the AEK Athens fixture among them.
Given the position he plays, Allan is one of the most obvious beneficiaries of that absence. Maresca now has a decision to make about how heavily he leans on a player with two starts to his name.
The Norwich performance showed what Allan can offer in the final third. The AEK outing showed he can last a full game at this level. Neither guarantees him a run in the side, but the circumstances have shifted in his favour.