Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal believes his team are ready to show their evolution is close to complete when they take on rivals Manchester City at Old Trafford next Sunday.
A United side reduced to 10 men for a little over half the match were beaten 1-0 at the Etihad Stadium in November.
The comprehensive nature of City's victory confirmed the scale of the task Van Gaal faced to rebuild a side that appeared a long way behind their neighbours.
Yet five months on, United could claim to be heading into their meeting with stuttering City as favourites, with Van Gaal suggesting his side are unrecognisable from the model he was working with in the first half of the season.
"It was another Manchester United [last November], I believe," he told reporters. "That was more in the start of the process and now we are in the end of the process.
"Now we have developed the team. I think also the confidence of our players is very high at the moment. Our performances show that, so it's not the same Manchester United."
Van Gaal believes the confidence flowing through his players after their 3-1 win against Aston Villa on Saturday will be reflected in their display in the derby.
"Of course it [confidence] plays a part in the spirit of the players," he said. "Now we are winning five games in a row, so everybody has to wait for the right moment.
"City still have one match in hand at the moment [against Crystal Palace on Monday]. When they lose points or if it's a draw, then we will be even. They also have a better goal difference so they have to lose, then we are better than City.
"This next game is the decisive game. It's like the game against Liverpool and the game against Chelsea -- you have to win these kinds of matches."
Van Gaal also praised Ander Herrera after a two goal showing from the Spanish midfielder against Villa confirmed his re-emergence as a key figure.
"He has developed himself very well," added the United boss. "He can run box to box, he's more composed on the ball and positionally he's playing better.
"He has developed and he scores goals, which is important, because when you can score seven goals and you don't play regularly this season, then who can do it better as a midfield player?"
United fell seven points behind City after their defeat at the Etihad Stadium, but could establish a firm lead over Manuel Pellegrini's faltering champions if they beat them next weekend.