- Awoniyi set for surgery
- Striker had been managing groin problem since October
- Cooper optimistic about Awoniyi recovery
Nottingham Forest have received a significant blow with the news that striker Taiwo Awoniyi will be sidelined for an extended period due to groin surgery. The Nigerian player, who has been Steve Cooper’s top scorer this season with four goals in 11 appearances, had been managing the groin issue since October.
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Awoniyi faces surgery after withdrawing from Nigeria squad
Awoniyi played for Nigeria in their recent draw against Lesotho but subsequently withdrew from the squad to undergo surgery. This marks his second notable absence for Nottingham Forest, having missed 15 games last season due to a similar groin injury.
Manager Steve Cooper expressed his disappointment over the situation, acknowledging Awoniyi’s importance to the team and praising his professionalism. Cooper assured that the club would provide support to Awoniyi during his recovery and expressed hope for a strong comeback.
Cooper emphasised Awoniyi’s positive track record in returning from a similar injury last season and believes the striker will give his all to come back stronger. Despite the setback, Forest have shown promise in recent performances, winning two of their last Premier League games and losing only one of their last six matches.
With Forest’s next match against Brighton approaching, the team will face the challenge of playing without Awoniyi. However, Cooper remains optimistic about the striker’s return later in the season, highlighting the resilience Awoniyi demonstrated in his previous recovery.
Forest are rumoured to be interested in signing Werder Bremen striker Marvin Ducksch, however, they could face competition from Newcastle United. Cooper’s side sit 14th in the table with 13 points after 12 games.
Betting Implications
Punters will need to monitor Forest’s progress and see how they deal without Awoniyi. It was highly likely that he would have missed matches in the New Year anyway due to the African Cup of Nations. Bettors will need to apply this match to match betting and outrights. At the time of writing Forest are seen as an outside bet to be relegated. Currently, bet365 have them priced at 8/1 with six teams rated as more likely to go down.
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