Erik ten Hag has been reluctant to label Manchester United as title contenders this season, but he can't ignore the fact that they are a lot closer than most people had imagined they would be.
United's focus is on facing Barcelona in the Europa League play-off tonight, and ahead of the game, they already received one small victory with Man City's impressive 3-1 win away at Arsenal.
The match lived up to the hype, with the two title favourites going head-to-head, but by full-time, there was also a focus on United in third, and the reality of how close they are to the summit.
Read next: How United should line up vs Barcelona
Ten Hag is right to have continuously avoided title talk this season, pointing out that there have been fewer matches played than usual by this stage of the campaign and that we are still only just over the halfway stage of the campaign.
All of that is true, but so too is the fact that United are only five points behind the two sides above them, though Arsenal still have a game in hand to play.
What is even more encouraging is that United have beaten both of those sides this season and have played against them twice, meaning every domestic match left this season will see them take on teams that are currently below them in the table.
If you look at the table in black and white, then of course United must be considered to have a chance of hitting form and closing the gap on those above them, but there are other factors to consider that still make it seem rather unlikely.
United have averaged two points per game this season, putting them on track to finish with 72 points if they maintain this level of play throughout the season, though that final tally can change drastically depending on a good or bad run of form.
It also means that, with the same state of play, United would be on course to finish roughly ten points behind the leading pack in the Premier League if they all kept up the same level of performance without any notably changing trends.
"I genuinely don’t think they are in the Premier League title race," Gary Neville said after the weekend win over Leeds.
"I was thinking Erik ten Hag has actually prioritised the Barcelona game this week. He’s put Martinez and Varane on the bench and saved them for Barcelona and played Shaw and Maguire at centre-back.
"If he thought he could win the Premier League he would obviously prioritise that so I think even he’s thinking the title is beyond them. He got away with it today and it’s worked but I just don’t think they can win the Premier League. They’ve got so many games and I just don’t think they’re at the level of Man City and Arsenal right now."
Over the last decade, only once have three teams finished within ten points of the top by the end of the season, so it is easy to see why there is giddy excitement at United's continued presence near the top.
It would take a significant leap for United to make it a three-horse race for the title again, but there is certainly cause for optimism based on their results so far this season and their healthy habit of grinding out wins consistently.
United are still probably considered the best of the rest this season, given that they sit third in both the overall home and away tables this season.
What is less flattering is that they are only the fifth-highest scorers in the Premier League this season, and only have the sixth-best defence in the top-flight too, having conceded more goals than West Ham.
When you consider all of that, there is a reality check on where United really stand compared with the rest, and they would still deserve huge credit for finishing third behind two teams ahead of them in their own rebuilds.
United are by no means title pretenders, but they probably aren't contenders either.
Next up:
