Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic hails compatriot Nikola Milenkovic as Nottingham Forest standout gushes over Serbia's 'best player ever'

Forest have enjoyed a superb season and sit third in the Premier League, with Champions League qualification firmly on the horizon. Now, former Manchester United captain Vidic has hailed his countryman Milenkovic, while the 27-year-old has lauded the veteran as Serbia's "best player ever", having won five Premier League titles, three FA Cups and the Champions League at Old Trafford.

Milenkovic has missed just one Premier League game all season and has been integral to the club's fine form; in addition to his brave, physical defending, he has also contributed four goals this season, including one against United in a 3-2 win at Old Trafford. Ahead of the reverse fixture, his "idol" Vidic has been full of praise for the star.

Vidic told BBC Sport: "He is a great representative for Serbian football. He is a great example for how players should behave and work hard to try and succeed and maintain their careers.

"He likes to defend and has improved a lot in terms of the tactical side because he played in Italy. It is not fair to compare [with me]. He has his own abilities and has a good career. He is 27 and for a defender that is still young.

"It is good to say 'when I was young, Vidic was the target I wanted to aim for'. But players should push themselves to go even higher than their idols and the people they are being compared to. He is 27. I came to England when I was 24 or 25. He has much more to give."

Milenkovic said, about his countryman: "He set the standards for defenders in Serbia. He is our best player ever and I grew up watching the videos of his games.

"It was his leadership on the pitch and the way he played. He was willing to sacrifice for other players, to do everything not to concede a goal, to live for a clean sheet. This is what I took from him.

"Also, his reading of the game was very good. He was a very intelligent player and really aggressive on the pitch."

Milenkovic will hope to repeat his heroics against United when the two sides lock horns again on Tuesday evening. Forest are six points clear of fifth-placed Manchester City.