Neco Williams

Key strength: Pace and recovery

Overlapping full-back

Perched precariously in 17th place, Nottingham Forest's Premier League survival hangs in the balance—and Neco Williams has been their unshakeable foundation. The Welsh left-back has been an ever-present force this season, amassing a remarkable 43 appearances and 3,532 minutes of tireless running as Forest cling to safety with a recent unbeaten streak that has lifted them from the drop zone. A Liverpool academy graduate who arrived for €20m in 2022, Williams has seen his market value surge 40% to €28m, testament to his evolution into the complete modern full-back. While his 1 goal and 3 assists won't dominate highlight reels, his defensive rating of 70 and relentless overlapping runs have transformed Forest's left flank into both fortress and attacking outlet. His remarkable durability has been the heartbeat of Forest's resurgence—unbeaten in five with three crucial wins—providing the defensive steel that allows creative talents like Morgan Gibbs-White and Callum Hudson-Odoi to flourish ahead of him. Yet the January arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko now poses the stiffest challenge to his starting spot. As the relegation scrap enters its decisive phase, Williams' Liverpool-hardened mentality and lung-busting stamina could yet prove the difference between survival and the Championship abyss.