Gary Neville has offered his prediction on a tightly disputed race to qualify for the Champions League.
While the leaders Liverpool and Arsenal are sure of a Champions League place, only eight points separate the parties between third and 10th in the Premier League.
Surprise package Nottingham Forest and Man City are third and fourth on 47 and 44 points respectively, while Newcastle is only behind the ruling champions on target difference in the fifth.
Fifth place is probably enough to guarantee access to the Champions League next year because of the performance of Premier League clubs this season in the three European club matches.
Bournemouth, Chelsea, Aston Villa, Brighton and Fulham will all have the hope to break into the top five, with the last only five points of Newcastle despite being 10th.
Neville praised Nottingham Forest's performance in the Premier League this season, but suggested that the side of Nuno Espirito Santo could be invested in the final phase of the campaign by the chase package.
“I think Nottingham Forest was absolutely great, the story of the season, but they will find it difficult to hold,” Neville said on the Gary Neville Podcast.
'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 at the bottom and in the top four. That is what we need, what the competition needs. '
Forest has had back-to-back defeats on the top flight since their 7-0 thrashing from Brighton at the start of the month and are now confronted with Crunch collisions against Arsenal and Man City.
Neville also suggested that Chelsea's strive for a return to the Champions League in the balance sheet.
The side of Enzo Marseca has only lasted nine points of their last 10 Premier League matches, a run in which the blues from external contenders to the title slide to the seventh in the table.
Neville also expects that high -flying Bournemouth will miss, even though the cherries have risen to the sixth in the table after an impressive run.
“Chelsea, I'm 50-50,” said Neville. '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. Bournemouth has been great, but I don't think they are going in the top five. '
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