As the hours ebbed away before Manchester United's Premier League opener against Fulham on Friday, the club's newest signings, Matthijs de Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui, dominated the chatter on the streets.
Would one, or both, of the new defenders make Erik ten Hag's starting XI? How might the team be transformed by these new arrivals?
Both made it onto the pitch, ultimately – Mazraoui showing complete assurance from the start, and De Ligt barrelling into the fray during the final 10 minutes.
But it was one of United's longest-serving defenders, Harry Maguire, that really stole the show at the back, thanks to a performance of complete commitment and defiant confidence.