Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce has said that the Championship promotion race is "quite remarkable" as the season approaches its halfway stage.
Villa are fifth in the second tier having earned 37 points from 22 games this term, but are 14 points behind leaders Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Sheffield United, who were promoted from League One last season, and Bristol City are two other sides currently in the hunt for promotion.
"We are where we want to be and there or thereabouts," Bruce told the Birmingham Mail. "We'd like to be closer to the top, of course, but who would have thought Cardiff, Sheffield United and Bristol City would be in the top six at Christmas?
"It's quite remarkable. However, that's the way it is. We know what's in store. We need a bit of luck, injury-wise, but we're pleased. We're not 100% pleased because we are never 100% pleased because we've given ourselves a chance.
"We're only halfway there so the big thing is to be there or thereabouts when the daffodils come up. And then all sorts happens with 10 games to go, you get all sorts of crazy results so let's hope we're there or thereabouts when that happens."
Aston Villa host fifth-placed United on Saturday before travelling to Brentford on Boxing Day.
