Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says Leroy Sane has responded well to being dropped but has warned him he needs to remain focused to stay in the team.
The Germany international, who was surprisingly omitted from Joachim Low's World Cup squad, was left out of City's first four Premier League games of the season.
But he has started the last three matches and scored two minutes into his return against Fulham.
Guardiola has been impressed by the 22-year-old's contribution but says he cannot rest on his laurels now he is back in the team.
"He's played really well in the last games, " the City boss said. "Leroy was important, is important, will be important for us.
"But our profession is so demanding and every single day you have to do your best and in the last two or three games he was really good.
"I want all my players to be focused and when they do that there is no problem at all, when they don't do that they know what happens."
After helping City beat Brighton 2-0 and move to the top of the table, Sane is now preparing for the Champions League group game against Hoffenheim on Tuesday.
City are looking to kick-start their Champions League campaign that began with a shock 2-1 defeat to Lyon.
It will be a chance for Sane, who scored 14 goals and contributed 19 assists in all competitions last season, to impress back on German soil and he will have noted comments from Germany's vice-captain Toni Kroos even after he was recalled to Low's squad for last month's Nations League opener against France.
"Sometimes you have the feeling with Leroy's body language that it is all the same whether we win or lose. He has to improve his body language," said Kroos.
"He was fantastic for City last year but Pep has the same problem at the moment -- he's trying to get the best out of him so he can perform better."