EPL: Taiwo Awoniyi unfazed by limited game time at Nottingham Forest

Johnson OpeisaSeptember 16, 20241 Mins read199

Taiwo Awoniyi of Nottingham Forest during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Wolverhampton Wanderers at the City Ground in Nottingham, England, on August 31, 2024. (Photo by MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

For Forest this season, Awoniyi has played about 35 minutes out of a possible 360 against Bournemouth, Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Liverpool.

Nigeria’s Super Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi is unbothered about his limited playing time at Nottingham Forest, having failed to make any starting appearance for the Reds after four games in the 2024/25 English Premier League (EPL) season.

Awoniyi was a key figure for Forest in the opening weeks of the 2023/24 season, netting six goals in 12 starts. However, a thigh injury sidelined the 27-year-old for over six weeks, during which Chris Wood claimed his starting spot.

Since his return, Awoniyi has been confined to bench roles, but the FIFA U-17 World Cup winner isn’t worried about his current role at the club “That’s football for you. Sometimes you come on early, sometimes you start,” Awoniyi told SportsBoom.

“Nottingham Forest is a team full of talent and players who can be trusted. I just need to keep pushing and working hard.”

Speaking about his recovery and return to full fitness, he added, “It feels great to be back. After a period away due to injury, returning to play is what every footballer hopes for. I’m really happy to be back on the field.

“I am back, I’m healthy and fine. This topic is very hard to go into. But as a player, this is a phase you cannot miss. When it happens, you feel bad about it. But you just must get going and you just have to stay fit and do the best for yourself.

“Talking about the target for this season, I will keep that to myself. Every player has what they are looking forward to and that goes for me as well.”

After missing Nigeria’s AFCON 2023 campaign and the June 2026 World Cup qualifiers, Awoniyi returned to the Super Eagles squad for the AFCON 2025 qualifiers in early September. However, the ex-Liverpool barely enjoyed five minutes of action across the two matches against Benin Republic and Rwanda. For Forest this season, Awoniyi has played about 35 minutes out of a possible 360 against Bournemouth, Southampton, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Liverpool.