Gary Neville has praised the rise of Nottingham Forest as the “story of the season” in the Premier League, but does not expect Nuno Espirito Santo to lead his side to the Champions League.
The Premier League probably has a fifth Champions League place this season after three Italian parties have fallen aside during the knockout play-offs of the competition this period. Forest is currently third, but a busy top half of the table can change a lot between now and May.
Forest was beaten 4-3 by Newcastle on Sunday, making the side of Eddie Howe almost within three points of the men of Nuno. Newcastle remains fifth, behind Manchester City on target difference, and another defeat for Forest Against Arsenal in midweek could see their rivals jump.
Bournemouth and Chelsea are only four points behind Forest, with Aston Villa another point further back after playing one match. And it is Villa who expects Neville to take the last spot of Champions League – behind City and Newcastle – if the magical song indeed goes from four to five.
“I think Nottingham Forest has been absolutely great, the story of the season. But they will find it difficult to hold,” Neville said on the Podcast of Gary Neville. “I hope they hold there, but my feeling is that it will be difficult for them to hold there.
“I think City, Villa, Newcastle and Chelsea maybe just [pip Forest]. Yes, 12 games are a long way to go … but I still have the feeling that it can be a long 12 games for Nottingham Forest.
“I hope they stay there, because that would be great for the Premier League. We have to see clubs that have been in the top six and the top four at the bottom. That is what we need, what the League needs . “
Villa itself, however, was a new addition to the Champions League quotent this season, however – their first performance in the competition and only their second in Europe since winning promotion back to the top in 2019. Neville did not exclude Forest after following From the example and securing a Champions League spot for the first time since the rebrand of the competition, but believes that they will be scary.
“We are currently worried about the fact that the three who come up are crashing quite a bit and we don't want that fame and predictability in the competition,” he added. “We need to be the most unpredictable competition in the world.
“There is still a long way to go. Chelsea, I am 50-50. At the moment I say City, Newcastle and villa in the top five, but it can easily be forest and chelsea. I think it's really that close by . [Bournemouth] I have been great, but I don't think they will be in the top five. “
The victory of Newcastle on the forest on Sunday was all due to a period of 15 minutes in the first half in which they scored four times. Forest Boss Nuno was happy with the reaction of his team, but admitted that they gave themselves too much to do.
“The first half of Newcastle was better. Second half, we better. And the goals proven that,” said the former Wolves boss of the day. “There is no explanation [to the first half] We have to wait.
“It was a big gap to try to recover. The reaction was very good. We gave everything and we created many opportunities against Newcastle and believed that we could win the game.
“The reaction was good, I think the team was more recognizable. We played well and were positive in the future. I liked it the most. I wish it was 10 minutes [added on] to get [the equaliser]. We were at a good time. “
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