February 23rd 2025.
According to Gary Neville, who is a former player for Manchester United, it is highly likely that Nottingham Forest will not be able to maintain their spot in the top five of the Premier League. He is amazed by the performance of Nuno Espirito Santo's team, who have been the underdogs this season, but believes that they will struggle to hold on to their position.
It's been an exceptional journey for Forest in the top flight, especially considering that they were only promoted from the Championship two years ago. Currently sitting at third place, they are three points ahead of the reigning champions Manchester City. However, their recent losses against Fulham and Newcastle have raised concerns about their chances of securing a spot in European football.
Things are not going to get any easier for Espirito Santo's men as they face second-placed Arsenal at home on Wednesday night. Both City and Newcastle have the opportunity to catch up with Forest if they win their upcoming games. Neville, who has played for both United and England, is worried about the Reds' chances and predicts a top five of Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Newcastle, and Aston Villa.
"I think Nottingham Forest have been absolutely amazing, the story of the season. But I think they'll find it hard to hang on," Neville expressed his thoughts to Sky Sports. "I hope they hang on in there, but my feeling is it's going to be tough for them. City, Villa, Newcastle, and Chelsea might just surpass them. Yes, there are still 12 games left, but it's going to be a long and challenging journey for Nottingham Forest."
Despite Forest's recent losses, Neville hopes that they can maintain their position as it would be fantastic for the Premier League. He believes that the league needs to have an unpredictable nature, with teams who were once at the bottom now competing in the top six and four spots. He also added that Chelsea could turn things around, but he is currently leaning towards City, Newcastle, and Villa securing a top-five finish.
Villa's recent victory against Chelsea, which ended their five-game winless streak in the Premier League, could potentially be a turning point for Unai Emery's side, according to Neville. "I said a few weeks ago that I fancied Villa to get into the top four just because of Unai Emery," he mentioned. With players like Ollie Watkins, Marco Asensio, Leon Bailey, Jacob Ramsey, Marcus Rashford, and Morgan Rogers, Neville believes that Villa has a strong squad and could finish the season strong.
When asked about Bournemouth's chances of making it to the top five, Neville replied, "They have been amazing, but I don't think they will get into the top five, that's my view. But they have been absolutely incredible and deserve recognition as one of the surprise teams of the season, alongside Forest."
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