By Monsurah Olatunji
Nottingham Forest head coach, Nuno Espirito Santo, has confirmed that striker Taiwo Awoniyi is fit to make his return to action against Newcastle United on Sunday, following a recent injury setback.
Awoniyi was involved in a distressing incident during the FA Cup clash against Exeter City at St. James Park, where he was knocked out by the opposition goalkeeper.
The 27-year-old sustained a concussion and a broken nose, forcing him to miss Forest’s match against Fulham last week. However, Espirito Santo has now revealed that Awoniyi is cleared to play again this weekend.
In a statement shared by Nottingham Post, the former Tottenham Hotspur coach confirmed, “He [Awoniyi] is clear on his concussion protocols, so he is available.”
Despite the concussion, Awoniyi will need to wear a protective mask while playing, a common precaution for players recovering from facial injuries.
“The mask is always something that bothers players, but he is trying to get used to it. Neco [Williams] is using one also, but I think he will be okay,” Espirito Santo added.
With Forest under pressure to bounce back after their 2-1 defeat to Fulham, Awoniyi’s return will be crucial in their push for a top-four finish.
The Tricky Trees are currently sitting third in the Premier League, just three points above Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, while Newcastle United occupies seventh place, six points behind Forest.
Awoniyi will be eager to help his team secure a vital win as they look to maintain their strong position in the league.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
