If Future Trunks had been able to transform before attacking in the first place, could he have beaten Imperfect Cell?

[Steven Bloodriver]

In other words, would the Cell Saga have never taken place, if Future Trunks from Imperfect Cell's Timeline had been able to defend himself if he had transformed into a Super Saiyan?

[theherodjl]

Are you talking about the anime's depiction of the other Future Trunks who charged Imperfect Cell? If so then I doubt it. Even before absorbing much of Earth's populace, Imperfect Cell was stronger than Freeza to be able to withstand battling Kamiccolo(who is as strong or possibly a sliver stronger than Android 17). Gohan also states that SSJ Trunks is around the same power as SSJ Goku was on Namek, only half of Kamiccolo or Android 17's power at best.
IIRC, the manga doesn't actually depict the fight between Imperfect Cell and the other Future Trunks, leaving it to Cell to briefly mention that he defeated Trunks without clarification if Trunks was in base or SSJ. It would probably be the same result with the anime though.