English clubs are "narrowing the gap" on Europe's elite in the Champions League, says ex-Manchester United defender Phil Neville.
All five English Premier League (EPL) teams are unbeaten and sit top of their groups after three matches played.
"It's not too early to say the tide is changing. The performances alone are saying that," Neville said. "We could get two or three clubs into the quarters or semifinals."
Having provided just four Champions League quarterfinalists in the past five seasons, England's five clubs are now in pole position to qualify for the last 16 this season.
Spain have dominated the competition since 2013/14, with Real Madrid winning it three times and Barcelona once, in 2014/15.
Spain have also had three teams in the last eight in each of the past five seasons.
On Wednesday night Manchester United beat Benfica 1-0 while Chelsea drew 3-3 in a thriller with AS Roma at Stamford Bridge.Tottenham secured a great 1-1 draw at Real Madrid on Tuesday, while Liverpool thumped Maribor 7-0 and Manchester City beat Napoli 2-1 on the same night. The return legs take place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
"We've been nowhere near Barca or Real in the last few seasons. Particularly with Tottenham last night [on Tuesday] it looks like the gap is closing," said Neville.
"I don't think we're going overboard. If we were scraping through games I'd say 'yes' [we're going overboard]. But we're showing strength and quality.
"It's long overdue. With the strength we've got in the competition we have to be looking to get at least two teams into the semis. It's been quality in the final third, the football and the finishing. We've raised the bar," he added.
It is the first time since 2008/09 that English clubs have gone undefeated after the first three matches of the Champions League group stage - Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea would reach the semifinals that year, with United losing to Barca in the final.
The past five years have been particularly barren for Premier League sides. They made the quarterfinals five times in that period, while Spanish sides reached the same stage on 15 occasions, German teams nine times and French sides six.
But the early signs are good for the English outfits this season, with a collective win percentage of 73% so far in the group stage.
Spain's four clubs meanwhile have a 50% win record, the same as France's two teams.
And England's five teams have averaged 7.4 points between them in the group stage so far, better than any of the previous five campaigns after the first three matches.
But what was so striking was Tottenham's sense of belonging on such a big stage. Their goal poacher Harry Kane agreed that the players felt like "equals on the pitch" and explained how manager Mauricio Pochettino handled the psychology of such an occasion.
"He always reiterates: 'Just go out there, play and enjoy it,'" said Kane
"It gives me massive confidence. He also has this natural demeanour. You want to do well for him because he's a fantastic manager and person. When you step into the Bernabeu you realise the history. It's special, a bit overwhelming but it's still a game. It was important to take that emotion out and just go for them as I would any other player."
Drawing at Madrid, Pochettino said: "It is something we were missing; this feeling to compete at the highest level. We have reinforced our ideas."
Kane now expects the midweek result against Madrid to act as another catalyst for the players, the coaching staff and the fans.
"It was a big statement," he said. "It will give us confidence because we've shown we can do it against the best team in the world."..