Newcastle United, so often overlooked as genuine title contenders, host third-from-bottom Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, aiming to stay among the chasing pack as the race for the Premiership gathers pace.
Two points behind leaders Manchester United and with a game in hand, the Magpies are very much in with a shout - whatever their manager might say.
"I still don't think we'll win the title but we are certainly in the hunt," said Newcastle's former England boss Bobby Robson after Wednesday's impressive 3-1 win at Tottenham.
"The way we are going, and the position we are in, has exceeded our wildest dreams.
"Back in August, we didn't think we would be here. I thought we might be in the top eight, but we continue to push on. It's exciting for the league and it's exciting for us."
With eight of their remaining 14 matches at home, and only two of those against sides in the current top five, odds of 14-1 look incredibly attractive.
He may be dismissive about his team's title hopes, but the way in which his players came from behind to win at White Hart Lane in midweek would have been enough to prompt even Robson to go in search of the nearest bookmaker.
Particularly pleasing for the much-travelled manager was the blossoming strike partnership of speedy Welsh youngster Craig Bellamy and evergreen Alan Shearer.
"Shearer and Bellamy are a great foil for each other and they enjoy playing together - I don't think there is there anyone quicker than Bellamy, including Michael Owen," Robson added.
"Alan holds the ball up and is a great positional player. He is good in the air and he can knock it off.
"Shearer is a great player to play with. Anyone would enjoy Shearer because he is predictable, you know what he is going to do. You know he is going to hold the ball up, take centre halves away and let you in."
Newcastle's form is all the more remarkable given the amount of players they have on the treatment table.
Exciting England midfielder Kieron Dyer is expected to be out for six weeks with a fractured foot while veteran Robert Lee and Wales midfielder Gary Speed are still nursing injuries.
Former Liverpool idol Robbie Fowler will line-up against his for-
mer club on Sunday as Leeds take on the Merseysiders at Elland Road.
Fowler ended his 15-year association with Liverpool in November after failing to hold down a regular first-team place at Anfield.
David O'Leary's indisciplined stars will have to be on their best behaviour against their title with suspensions to key players threatening to undermine Leeds' hopes of a Champions League place.
O'Leary and chairman Peter Ridsdale have consistently stated that a top-four place is the objective come May.
But with suspensions piling up and the team suffering a dip in form, the Elland Road club stand to lose out on a 20 million pounds (28 million dollars windfall) should they fail to finish the current campaign
with a flourish.
At a time when Leeds need to mount a championship charge, the Yorkshire club have picked up just one point from their last three matches against fellow title rivals Newcastle, Arsenal and Chelsea to fall six points off the pace being set by Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United.
And with several key players including Alan Smith, Mark Viduka, Lee Bowyer and Danny Mills set for a spell on the sidelines, Leeds are in danger of shooting themselves in the foot and ending the season empty-handed.
To compound O'Leary's worries, winger Jason Wilcox will serve a one-match ban for picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in Wednesday's 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Manchester United, 4-0 winners at Bolton on Tuesday, host ailing Sunderland on Saturday, whose alarming slump has led to calls for Peter Reid's resignation from certain sections of the Stadium of Light faithful.
Second-placed Arsenal, meanwhile, entertain improving Southampton, whose 10-point haul from five matches has seen them