Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville doesn’t see Nottingham Forest finishing in the Premier League’s top four this season. However, he praised Nuno Espirito Santo’s team as the biggest surprise of the campaign.

Forest currently sits third in the table, three points ahead of defending champions Manchester City. But with a tough run ahead, including a clash against Arsenal at the City Ground on Wednesday, their position is far from secure.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville said, “Nottingham Forest have been incredible, the story of the season. But I think they’ll struggle to stay up there.”

While hoping they can hold on, he predicted a top five of Liverpool, Arsenal, City, Newcastle, and Villa. He also believes teams like Chelsea and Villa could eventually overtake Forest in the race for Champions League spots.

“There are still 12 games left, and that’s a long time. I think it’s going to be a tough run for them,” he added.

Rio Ferdinand was left stunned by Manchester United’s shaky defense in their 2-2 draw against Everton on Saturday. The former Red Devils defender couldn’t believe how vulnerable they looked, especially in the first half at Goodison Park.

One of the main culprits in Ferdinand’s eyes was Harry Maguire, whose sluggish reactions played a role in Everton’s second goal. Abdoulaye Doucoure capitalized on Maguire’s hesitation, leaving Ferdinand frustrated as he analyzed the game at half-time.

“You cannot just stand there. You have to run back towards your own goal. I couldn’t understand that at all,” Ferdinand said.

“I know pace isn’t part of his game, but he had a second chance to deal with it and still didn’t. Look at Doucoure—he reacted faster, while Maguire just waited for it. An experienced center-back shouldn’t be that passive.”

Despite fighting back with goals from Manuel Ugarte and Bruno Fernandes, United’s defensive lapses kept them from securing all three points. The result leaves them sitting 15th in the Premier League table.

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has admitted he wishes the Reds had an Arsenal player in their squad ahead of their crucial clash with Manchester City on Sunday.

He also suggested that Arsenal’s manager, Mikel Arteta, would love to have a Liverpool attacker in his team.

Writing in his column, Carragher pointed out Arsenal’s struggles in attack, saying Arteta would no doubt want a player like Cody Gakpo, whose 16 goals this season have been underrated.

On the other hand, he mentioned Liverpool’s defensive concerns, stating he has long called for reinforcements and would love to see a full-back like Jurrien Timber in the squad.

With recent injuries to Joe Gomez and Conor Bradley, Liverpool’s defensive depth has been tested, though their first-choice back four remains intact—something Arsenal can’t say about their attacking options.