How much more confident would Manchester United feel about their chances at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night if two of their stalwarts from last season were in the line-up?
In the corresponding match of the 2010-11 campaign, Manchester United overcame their closest rivals, Chelsea, on the back of a sterling defensive performance. The 2-1 victory effectively clinched their 19th English title.
On that day at Old Trafford, Edwin van der Sar was between the posts and Nemanja Vidic patrolled at the back. Both will be missing when the Red Devils travel across town to Manchester City in what is also the third-last match of the campaign.
Vidic is in the middle of a rehab programme after suffering a season-ending knee injury last December, while Van der Sar retired after United clinched the Barclays Premier League crown last May.
'They've been playing without me all season and Nemanja got injured quite early on, so they will be okay,' Van der Sar said from London. 'Along the way the younger players have stepped up their performances, while the return of Paul Scholes was one of the turning points.'
On the face of it, Manchester United's defence has again been stingy this season - conceding just 32 goals in 35 matches, which is the second best in the league behind their local rivals. But, by their incredibly high standards, their level has actually slipped at home. They've let in 19 goals in 18 matches, compared to just 12 during the entire 2010-11 campaign.