The last time Sir Alex Ferguson prepared a Manchester United team to face Marseille at Stade Vélodrome, 12 years ago, his team were European champions, still carrying the aura of Treble winners.
Manchester United are without defender Rio Ferdinand and stalwart Ryan Giggs for the first leg of their round of 16 Champions League tie in Marseille.
Chris Smalling is set to partner Nemanja Vidic at the heart of defence.
Jonny Evans, Anderson and Michael Owen are also out so youngsters Joshua King and Ryan Tunnicliffe are in the squad.
But the meeting with Didier Deschamps' Marseille is the first of a schedule of games that will make or break the campaign. Ferguson's 'squeaky bum time' has come around a month earlier than its usual April outing.
After visiting Wigan in the Premier League this weekend, United travel to defending champions Chelsea and arch-rivals Liverpool before hosting either Arsenal or Leyton Orient in the FA Cup quarter-finals prior to a Champions League second leg on 15th March.
It is an arduous diary and Ferguson will know that, while his side have been criticised for a lack of panache this season, his squad's impressive resilience could prove an extremely valuable commodity.
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