Nottingham Forest star now ruled out for months after undergoing surgery

Nottingham Forest have suffered a big injury blow, with forward Taiwo Awoniyi ruled out for several months following groin surgery.

Awoniyi sustained the injury in October and had it aggravated while on international duty with Nigeria, prompting him to withdraw from the squad last week.

“It’s bad news on Taiwo, he’s had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months,” head coach Steve Cooper said on the club’s official website ahead of Forest’s match at home to Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

“We’ve got to support him through the process of coming back stronger. He’s done that once before here and I’m sure he will give everything again like he did last time.

“You think about how well he did when he returned last season, I’m sure that’s given him a good reference point to come back to.

“We’ll definitely see him again this season, but it’s groin surgery, so it will take a little while.”

Since joining Forest in June 2022, Awoniyi has been a significant role, scoring 14 goals in 37 Premier League outings.

 

 

He was in fine form at the close of last season, scoring in four consecutive games as Forest secured Premier League survival in their maiden season back in the top division after a 23-year absence.

 

And, at the start of current season, Awoniyi scored in three more games to become the first player in club history to score in seven consecutive Premier League appearances, surpassing Stan Collymore.

 

Awoniyi is also only the third African player to achieve that milestone, behind Mohamed Salah and Emmanuel Adebayor.

Cooper is now expected to use Chris Wood or Divock Origi as Forest’s center-forward as they look to extend their unbeaten home record in the league to nine games against the Seagulls.

Forest are presently 14th in the table with 13 points, three points behind Chelsea in 10th and eight points clear of the relegation zone.