To think that when Pep Guardiola turned up in Manchester, he regarded every game Vincent Kompany could play as an unexpected bonus.
Kompany has weathered 41 injuries in his time at City, and Guardiola didn't think he could last many more. He didn't consider Kompany part of his long-term plan, didn't even factor him in for that season, really.
And he wasn't completely wrong. Kompany continues to struggle. He has missed 779 days injured at City and a total of 13 appearances across all competitions in this campaign tell their own tale.
Yet so does the fact that it was Kompany who lifted the first trophy of the Guardiola era at Wembley yesterday, and Kompany who scored the vital second goal, to take the EFL Cup final away from Arsenal.