Sheffield United are enjoying their Premier League return after a 12-year absence, having spent the international break in fifth place.
With just under a third of the season gone, Chris Wilder's side have a chance to emulate last season's Wolverhampton Wanderers team, who became one of the best-performing promoted sides in Premier League history when they finished seventh and qualified for Europe.
Indeed, Sheff Utd have one point more than Nuno Espirito Santo's side had at the same stage last season.
Unbeaten away from home and boasting the second-best defensive record in the league, the Blades have collected 17 points from 12 fixtures, an average of 1.42 points per match (ppm).
If they were to maintain that ratio throughout the campaign they would finish with 54 points, the ninth-highest total for a team who have come up from the second tier, and three behind Wolves' 2018/19 tally.
And if they were to end the campaign in their current position of fifth, it would be the joint fourth-highest finish in the competition's history.
Highest-finishing promoted clubs
| Season | Club | Position | Pts | Ave. ppm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993/94 | Newcastle | 3rd | 77 | 1.83 |
| 1994/95 | Nott'm For | 3rd | 77 | 1.83 |
| 1992/93 | Blackburn | 4th | 71 | 1.69 |
| 2000/01 | Ipswich | 5th | 66 | 1.74 |
| 1999/00 | Sunderland | 7th | 58 | 1.53 |
| 2018/19 | Wolves | 7th | 57 | 1.50 |
| 2006/07 | Reading | 8th | 55 | 1.45 |
| 2005/06 | West Ham | 9th | 55 | 1.45 |
| 2000/01 | Charlton | 9th | 52 | 1.37 |
| 1998/99 | Middlesbrough | 9th | 51 | 1.34 |
| 2002/03 | Man City | 9th | 51 | 1.34 |
| 2009/10 | Birmingham | 9th | 50 | 1.32 |
| 1996/97 | Leicester | 9th | 47 | 1.24 |
Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest jointly hold the honour of the best-performing promoted teams. Each finished third, in 1993/94 and 1994/95 respectively, with 77 points, albeit from 42 matches.
Wilder's side can strengthen their position when they host Manchester United, a point behind, in their next fixture.
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The Blades will draw confidence from the fact that they have beaten Arsenal and Burnley in their last two appearances at Bramall Lane, keeping a clean sheet each time.
If they can maintain their lofty position and follow Wolves by qualifying for Europe through their league position, Sheffield Utd would become only the fifth promoted team to do so.
Newcastle and Forest were the first, before Ipswich Town did so, finishing fifth in 2000/01, then Wolves last season.
