Nottingham Forest head coach Nuno Espírito Santo has confirmed that Taiwo Awoniyi will be unavailable for the matches against Crystal Palace and Fulham, as reported by PUNCH Sports Extra.
Awoniyi has been sidelined due to an injury sustained before the Luton Town game on March 16.
The 26-year-old had already missed a significant portion of the season due to a groin surgery aimed at addressing a long-standing issue. He returned in January, but Nuno had emphasized the need for cautious management as he worked on regaining full fitness.
Addressing the media ahead of the Crystal Palace encounter at the City Ground, Nuno expressed concerns about Awoniyi’s injury, labeling it as a major setback for the team.
“He (Awoniyi) is undergoing treatment,” Nuno informed the Nottingham Post.
“It’s a serious injury, unfortunately. His absence is a significant blow as he had recently returned from another injury spell. Taiwo’s presence is vital for us, offering an additional option.”
Nuno refrained from specifying Awoniyi’s return timeline, the Nigerian forward having netted six goals in 17 Premier League appearances this season.
“I cannot give an exact duration for his absence, but I remain optimistic about seeing him back on the pitch this season,” Nuno remarked.
“He will definitely miss the upcoming two matches.”
With the deduction of four points for breaching financial regulations, Nottingham Forest now finds themselves in the relegation zone, with nine matches remaining to escape the drop, starting with the clash against Crystal Palace today.
Moreover, in an attempt to avoid further violations of the Premier League’s financial guidelines, Nottingham Forest may be compelled to offload the Nigerian international.
The club faced a four-point deduction for breaching the Profitability and Sustainability Rules of the Premier League, acknowledging overshooting the threshold by £34.5m, above the permitted £61m.