A challenger has arisen. Thrust into the limelight, hurled into the fray against the monied elite, they stand defiantly with sword drawn. The odds are against them. The laughter of their enemies echoes in their ears.
But they are Watford. And they are in fourth place. It probably won't last (though we said that about Leicester), but they have done enough already to mock those foolhardy preseason predictions of relegation from idiot outsiders (again, I am so sorry).
While Manchester City hit their stride, demonstrating the full majesty of the union between unimaginable wealth and strategic brilliance, it's reassuring to see what can still be achieved if you only have the latter.