IF feelgood factors could be bottled, then the construction of a bottling plant would currently be well under way at Portman Road.

Top of the table, unbeaten all season, five wins on the trot for the first time since 2004, a plum tie at Manchester United in the next round of the Capital One Cup and players queueing up to sign new deals, David McGoldrick and Freddie Sears the latest to do so.

It’s difficult to recall when a season last opened with such a deluge of positivity. Perhaps as long ago as the 2000/01 Premier League campaign when the Blues’ early form – including that Fabian Wilnis-inspired 1-1 home draw with the Red Devils – quickly showed that Town would be far more than the division’s whipping boys.

But for the four minutes of madness in injury time at Brentford, one or two injuries and perhaps the Old Trafford ticket prices, the first few weeks of the season really couldn’t have gone any better.

Saturday’s game at Preston was, perhaps surprisingly, probably the Blues’ biggest test so far.

The Lilywhites were much the better side from the off and really should have been a couple of goals to the good before Brett Pitman netted his first for the Blues against the run of play.

Preston hit back before half-time, but after the break the game was an attritional affair much like many of last season’s matches and the Blues grabbed the winner when Ryan Fraser curled home his brilliant winner after an impressively long spell of Town passing.

That kept the Blues at the top of the table with the midweek focus turning to the Capital One Cup tie at Doncaster.

Just as Preston ought to have been ahead on Saturday, the largely second string Town team should have got their noses in front before the League One side went ahead.

After the break the Blues were on top and only an exceptional performance from Rovers keeper Stuckmann kept the scores level.

The German was eventually beaten three times in extra-time as Town won 4-1 to deservedly make it to round three for the first time in five years, in which they will face Manchester United.

While the Capital One Cup is hardly a big deal in itself these days, the prospect of a visit to Old Trafford has caught the imagination of a Town support starved of trips to the nation’s bigger stadia during the 14 long years out of the Premier League. Even at £45 an adult ticket to non-season ticket holders or club members.

Given their other commitments, United are unlikely to field their strongest side so there must be a reasonable prospect of an upset, particularly if McCarthy opts to include more of his senior players than he has in the competition up to now.

But the Capital One Cup should be a mere sideshow with the Championship promotion push the main job in hand.

August is probably too early to talk about top-of-the-table six-pointers but Saturday’s visit by second-placed Brighton is as near as you get at this stage of proceedings.

The Seagulls, who lost to Walsall in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday, are perhaps a bit of a surprise package having finished 20th last season.

It might be argued that they’ve not had an overly challenging start, beating Nottingham Forest, Fulham and Blackburn and drawing with Huddersfield, with only Rovers having finished in the top half last season.

But you could make a not dissimilar case that three of the Blues’ opponents, Brentford, Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley, have squads which are currently in a state of flux following changes of, respectively, management, ownership and management, and relegation.

However, I’m sure both McCarthy and Chris Hughton would point out that you can only beat the sides which are put in front of you and so far both have usually managed to do that.

Given Town’s home form, they should be strong favourites to beat Albion and remain top of the Championship.

Indeed, looking through the fixture list there are fewer and fewer games which you don’t fancy Town to get at least something out of these days.

Like any other team they’ll have off days here and there but every match looks winnable and there aren’t many where you’d consider the opposition the more likely victors. All part of that feelgood factor.