Chris Sutton has warned Nottingham Forest about their reliance on Morgan Gibbs-White and the pressure they will feel both in the summer and if they qualify for the Champions League next season.
Forest are on course for a top four finish after the weekend’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City consolidated their position in third and put them four points clear of fifth.
Morgan Gibbs-White created the winner for Callum Hudson-Odoi and has established himself as one of the crown jewels in Nuno Espirito Santo’s team.
His importance to Forest has led to comparisons with the role Jude Bellingham plays for Real Madrid and Phil Foden’s at City.
Speaking on BBC 5Live’s Monday Night Club, Sutton, who won the Premiership with Blackburn in 1995, says the Reds must first survive the summer transfer window – and then bring in reinforcements if they are to avoid the fate that has befallen Aston Villa and Newcastle.
“That's more of a strength in depth thing, I think, more about Nottingham Forest and their reliance on core players,” he said.
“Looking to next season if Nottingham Forest get a Champions League place, first of all, the biggest thing for them is keeping hold of all their key players, Gibbs-White being one of them.
“But the other thing we've seen, Aston Villa are sort of stretched this season squad wise, we've seen Newcastle in the previous season, their squad stretched,
“His importance to Forest and his numbers are up there but I suspect they need a little bit more strength in depth if they're to go again next season.
“Where the other players, Bellingham and Foden, the likes of those have players who can come in and replace them with a similar level of performance. I don't think Forest do with Gibbs-White.”
Villa surprised everyone by finishing in the top four last season and while they are set to reach the quarter finals of the Champions League, they are eight in the Premier League and involved in a scrap to make it for a second year. Newcastle finished fourth in 2023 but ended up seventh the following campaign.
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