Southampton travels to the East Midlands this weekend, to face Derby County at Pride Park. With both teams close on points, Rams boss John Eustace has warned that his side is only getting started.
The Championship has never seen this much quality. Both the teams that got promoted from League One and those that were relegated from the Premier League have equal chances of going up this season.
The competition for places is hot. Southampton cannot afford to keep slipping up like they have, as Will Still needs to get a firm grip on his new team before it spirals past the point of no return.
This competition for places is one that Derby manager John Eustace has recognized - It's impossible not to.
Derby County manager warns Southampton with a crystal clear six-word claim
John Eustace said: "The teams coming down have got huge budgets as well [as those coming up]. The teams that have been stabilised in the Championship have also spent. It's difficult. That's why it's important to just keep level-headed and to keep together. Over the course of the season, you end up where you should end up."
Heading into the season, nobody would have anticipated Southampton's weekend opponents to be involved in the promotion talk. Indeed, they are towards the bottom of the table.
However, the spirits are high at Pride Park right now. Eustace thinks that Derby will only continue to improve, and issues a timely six-word warning to Southampton in saying "we're only going to get better."
In his own words, Eustace said: "We're a work in progress. I've been happy with the effort of the group most importantly. It's been fantastic and we're only going to get better."
It is fair to say that both Southampton and Derby can consider themselves works in progress. Neither team has set the world alight this season, and are both falling short of their ambitions.
But it's a long season, and teams are dropping points left, right and center. The league is still there to climb, which was proven by Southampton gaining plenty of ground after beating Sheffield United in midweek.
Now, it's another long trip for the Saints faithful. Let's hope that the journey is rewarded with another three points, prolonging Eustace's masterplan by at least another week.