// Garbage collect any stranded resources before providing TopologyHints
	m.removeStaleState()
	// Delegate to active policy
	return m.policy.GetTopologyHints(m.state, pod, container)
}

// TODO: move the method to the upper level, to re-use it under the CPU and memory managers
func (m *manager) removeStaleState() {
	// Only once all sources are ready do we attempt to remove any stale state.

			if _, ok := activeContainers[podUID][containerName]; !ok {
				klog.ErrorS(nil, "RemoveStaleState: removing container", "podUID", podUID, "containerName", containerName)
				err := m.policyRemoveContainerByRef(podUID, containerName)
				if err != nil {
					klog.ErrorS(err, "RemoveStaleState: failed to remove container", "podUID", podUID, "containerName", containerName)
				}
			}
		}
	}

			mgr.state.SetMemoryAssignments(testCase.assignments)
			mgr.state.SetMachineState(testCase.machineState)

			mgr.removeStaleState()

			if !areContainerMemoryAssignmentsEqual(t, mgr.state.GetMemoryAssignments(), testCase.expectedAssignments) {
				t.Errorf("Memory Manager removeStaleState() error, expected assignments %v, but got: %v",
					testCase.expectedAssignments, mgr.state.GetMemoryAssignments())
			}