Yahoo Sport 
'The league table doesn't lie and Manchester United are doing Nottingham Forest a favour'
Ex-Premier League winning defender Glen Johnson has tipped Nottingham Forest to make their long-awaited return to the European stage after a thrilling start to the season.
Forest have begun the campaign incredibly, becoming the surprise package so far by picking up 25 points and sitting in fifth during the run up to Christmas. Nuno Espirito Santo's side have only lost four of their 15 games in the Premier League so far this season despite being seen as relegation candidates prior to the beginning of 2024/25.
With competition for the European places looking tight this year - only six points separate third and 10th - Forest are nearing the top of the pile and are putting out consistently good performances. The Reds are the only team to beat league leaders Liverpool, who are four points clear at the top with a game in hand.
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Former England international Johnson, when speaking to Betfred, has given Nuno's side a fighting chance of achieving a first European campaign since 1995/96.
"Brighton and Nottingham Forest have done so well this season and I don’t believe they’ll finish in the top four, but they have a chance of qualifying for European football via fifth, sixth or seventh place," said the former right back, who won the Premier League with Chelsea in 2005.
"The league table doesn’t lie at this point in the season. Manchester United and Tottenham aren’t performing and they’re doing other clubs a favour."
Typical 'big six' clubs United and Spurs are not hitting the heights there were expected to with the former experiencing their worst-ever start to a Premier League season and the latter lacking the consistency needed to gain a top four position.
Alongside Brighton, Bournemouth, Brentford and Fulham, the Reds are one of a few surprise sides in and around the European spots, with Forest performing the best of the lot.
Their last European campaign as a club was almost 30 years ago when they took part in the UEFA Cup, making it to the quarter-finals before losing out to German giants Bayern Munich.
