It is why I have always had a healthy respect for Forest, indeed a lot my classmates at school supported them and Ipswich Town, purely because they were the top teams at the time.
I went to the FA Cup game last year and they are certainly one of those clubs that have long earned my admiration, so it does not necessarily feel like a huge shock to see them doing so well.
And the point is, this is what can happen in football, it changes so quickly. When I read that it may take United years and years to be challenging for a title again, history tells us that the standings can be very fluid, which is really what we all pine for.
It has not taken Forest long to be jostling for a Champions League spot and so, under Ruben Amorim, there is clearly the ambition that we can get back up there again in 2025/26.
While the hosts may be approaching Tuesday's game looking down at United, we can all hope the roles will be reversed the next time we meet. However, Forest deserve to be treated as tough opponents and it is likely to be a stern examination on the night.
The opinions in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Manchester United Football Club.