Three things were certain for Tottenham last season: injuries, daily reminders of Ange Postecoglou's second-season trophy quote, and wins over Manchester United.
Four times Spurs faced United and four times they beat them, the last of those coming in the Europa League final in Bilbao.
It is now more than three years since Spurs lost against them. If that run goes on much longer, Thomas Frank might be tempted by a "Lads, it's Man United" pre-match team talk.
This is another big game for the north Londoners, as they all seem to be at the moment in the hunt for clues as to where exactly they are under Frank.
The result against United will go a long way to shaping how the 4-0 midweek win over Copenhagen, the most comprehensive of Frank's reign, will be viewed.
Victory against Ruben Amorim's side and that Champions League display can be seen as the launchpad for bigger and better things, the genesis of a more confident and potent frontline.
Defeat, though, particularly with another limp display in attack, and that Copenhagen performance will be seen as one where Spurs were made to look good by poor opposition.
This United encounter will shape the narrative in more ways than one, particularly with a north London derby the other side of the international break and just a fortnight away.
The margins are razor thin. A win this afternoon and Spurs will arrive at the Emirates with the chance to at worst close to within five points of their big rivals and potentially even closer if the Gunners slip up against Sunderland later today.
On the flip side, yet another home defeat in the Premier League and Spurs could be near enough in the bottom half of the table by then.
Spurs need to take the momentum from their win over Copenhagen into the clash with United and there is a strong argument for Frank naming the same front four, with Mohammed Kudus unlikely to be fully fit even if he is back in the squad.
Wilson Odobert is showing signs of a really exciting partnership on the left with Destiny Udogie, and both appear to bring the best out of Xavi Simons.
On the right, Brennan Johnson is not always the most popular figure among Spurs fans but his goal record can't be argued with. The Welshman has four goals this season without being a regular starter.
"I think he’s got something that is extremely important, the ability to score goals," Frank said on Friday. "That’s quite good.
“Then arriving in the box and also on the counters, I think that’s a super strength of his.
“So there are a lot of bits I like from him. I think he is good also to produce crosses and play on the side, I think he’s tactically a clever player."
This is not a Spurs side full of attackers scoring goals and so Johnson's knack for getting on the scoresheet is an an invaluable one, even if he does not contribute as much as others in general play.
Johnson was the hero in Bilbao, scoring the only goal in the final to end Spurs' 17-year wait for silverware and get them back in the Champions League.
Should he start on the right wing, the comparisons with Bryan Mbeumo will be made. Mbeumo goes up against Frank for the first time, having played under him for six years at Brentford.
Frank smiled when asked if he would have liked to sign Mbeumo for Spurs. "He is a very good player. He’s playing for Man United. I’m very happy for him," he said smirking.
It is a match full of potential storylines, from the latest instalment in Spurs' attacking fortunes to Mbeumo haunting Frank and Johnson scoring against United again.
With an international break to come, the fall-out will be lengthy. Spurs need to be on the right side of it.
