Taiwo Awoniyi : Forest’s Real Deal

After a slow start to life at the City Ground with injury also not helping matters, Super Eagles striker, Taiwo Awoniyi however sparkled to life at the close of last season and it was his goals that eventually saved Nottingham Forest from relegation. The former Union Berlin goal poacher has indeed picked up from where he left off last season, scoring in seven consecutive games and since the start of May, making him the first Tricky Tree player to achieve the feat

Taiwo Awoniyi has been in phenomenal form recently, and it was his late goals rally that kept Nottingham Forest in the Premier League; just continuing from where he left off since the beginning of the season.

For the ninth consecutive game in the Premier League, Taiwo Awoniyi registered a goal contribution as Nottingham Forest came from behind on Monday night to draw 1-1, with Burnley at the City Ground.

Zeki Amdouni broke the deadlock for the Clarets four minutes before halftime when he slotted home from 20 yards, before Callum Hudson-Odoi leveled matters with a wonderful goal in the 61st minute on his debut for Nottingham Forest.

The Cobham product, a Fifa U17 World Cup winner with the Young Lions in 2017, curled the ball in off the right-hand post after he was teed up by Nigeria’s 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup winner Taiwo Awoniyi. 

Liverpool legend Michael Owen has praised Awoniyi for the part he played in Hudson-Odoi stunning equalizer and highlighted that the Nigerian did well to keep play alive.

Speaking on Premier League Productions post-match, Owen remarked: “He had an impression on the game, he got brought off later on but this was a fantastic goal.

“Awoniyi does well there, strong, chests it down, lays it off, and then Hudson-Odoi does the rest.”

Only Egypt international Mohamed Salah has registered more goal involvements (13) than Awoniyi (11) in the Premier League since the start of May 2023.

What is clear is that Awoniyi is becoming the real deal at Nottingham Forest

Awoniyi has picked up from where he left off last season, scoring in seven consecutive games and since the start of May, the Forest striker has even outscored Erling Haaland in the Premier League, despite playing a game fewer.

Having recorded an assist against the newly promoted side, Awoniyi has now scored or assisted in nine consecutive Premier League games dating back to his brace versus Southampton on matchday 35 in the 2022-2023 season.

It is also interesting to know that with just five games into the season, the former Liverpool forward has surpassed his assist tally for last season.

While previewing the Forest versus Burley Monday night’s clash, BBC Sport columnist, Chris Sutton, heaped praises in the Nigeria international saying: “They have got a bit more nous about them and although they will miss Brennan Johnson after his move to Tottenham, Taiwo Awoniyi is absolutely flying at the moment.”

Awoniyi has started the 2023/24 campaign in some style. He’s scored in three of the four Premier League games and he’s starting to really kick on in England.

At 26-years-old there is plenty more to come from the Nigerian. He scored 11 goals last season and finished the campaign as the leading goalscorer within the Forest squad.

Sutton said in his BBC Sport column: “This time, I’m expecting Steve Cooper’s side to come out on top.

Turning the City Ground into a fortress is a must again this season and hopefully, they can claim a win.

Awoniyi is a certain starter for Forest. He’s one of the most in-form strikers in the Premier League and has already scored three goals during the current campaign.

The Nigerian is starting to prove his worth. He’s the number one striker at the club right now and on his day he’s capable of causing absolute carnage to defenders.

Indeed, Nottingham Forest coach has urged the Super Eagles striker to continue scoring goals for the team.

Cooper has been impressed with Awoniyi’s form, and he has praised for former Union Berlin man. Nonetheless, he wants the Nigerian to continue churning out the goals.

“You always want your striker to be scoring goals, and he’s got more than a few this week,” Cooper had said on Nottingham Post.

“He’s missed most of the second part of last season, and he got injured at a time when he was doing what he did today.

“Although he’s got his goals back since he’s come back he’s played really well. But obviously, you want your number nine to be scoring goals.

“We’ve been really happy with T. He showed a great attitude and commitment to getting back in the way he did.

“He hit the ground running as soon as we got him back on the pitch. Now he’s turning good performances into good performances with goals.

“That’s what you want and what you need from your strikers. Let’s hope he can carry on for the rest of the season.

According to some statistics from Who Scored, the Nottingham Forest striker had a better conversion rate last season than Harry Kane and has propelled himself into the top 10 strikers in the Premier League based on his ruthlessness.

The 26-year-old was the club’s first summer signing after winning promotion to the Premier League.

After scoring 15 goals in the Bundesliga penultimate season, he was plucked from Union Berlin by the Reds for a fee of £17.5 million.

Awoniyi scored five goals in the first half of the campaign but injured his groin during a 1-0 win over Southampton in January.

That injury ruled him out of action for three months and Forest sorely missed his physical presence.