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Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been told to pick some lessons from one of his teammates if he wants to start more games.
Former Premier League forward turned pundit has explained why Super Eagles of Nigeria striker Taiwo Awoniyi is not getting enough game time at his club.
Clinton Morrison, who played for the likes of Crystal Palace, Birmingham City, and Sheffield Wednesday between 1998 and 2012, explained that Taiwo Awoniyi's limitation in one aspect of his game could be why the Nigerian is spending a lot of time on the bench at Nottingham Forest.
What Clinton Morrison said
Clinton Morrison, while covering Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup game against Ipswich Town, stated that Taiwo Awoniyi does not read the game like Chris Wood.
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However, the 45-year-old pundit was quick to add that the Nigerian striker is just coming back to full fitness after enduring some lengthy spells on the sidelines.
“Taiwo Awoniyi doesn't read the game like Chris Wood does. You can see he's a striker coming back to full fitness,” Clinton Morrison said during the BBC’s coverage of Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup triumph over Ipswich Town.
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Taiwo Awoniyi vs Chris Wood
Awoniyi missed the Super Eagles' run to the final of the 2023 AFCON after suffering an injury during training. He was out for 156 days between March and August 2024. He also suffered a broken nose in February 2025, which kept him out for 6 days.
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14:29 - 07.02.2025
'He is drinking female drink' - Super Eagles star Ola Aina taunts teammate Awoniyi during a dinner night
Super Eagles star Ola Aina taunted his Nottingham Forest teammate Taiwo Awoniyi during a dinner night.
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17:40 - 07.01.2025
'He deserves everything' - Santo praises Taiwo Awoniyi after first goal in over 300 days
Nottingham Forest heaped praises on the Super Eagles striker for his goal against Wolves
The 27-year-old Nigerian has started all 3 FA Cup games for Forest, scoring once. However, in the English Premier League, his form and injury concerns have seen him start just 7% of the 20 games he’s played in, bagging one goal. Across all competition, the former Liverpool man has scored just 2 goals in 24 appearances this season.
In Awoniyi’s absence, Chris Wood has shone bright like a million stars. The 33-year-old New Zealand forward has scored 18 goals and provided 3 assists in 27 games in the Premier League.
His goals have helped Forest climb up the ladder, now third in the Premier League behind Liverpool and Arsenal.
Chris Wood is having one of the finest seasons of his career, his 18 league goals puts him behind Isak (19), Haaland (20), and Salah (25) in the Premier League’s highest goalscorers list.
Match Analysis - Nottingham Forest vs Ipswich Town
England striker George Eric had put Ipswich Town in front in the 53rd minute before Ryan Yates drew Nottingham Forest level with 22 minutes left to play. Both sides could not be separated during the regulation 90 and extra-time. It was down to penalties.
Taiwo Awoniyi started the game and played for 82 minutes but could not find the back of the net. His replacement, Chris Wood, converted Forest’s first spot-kick; the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White, Elliot Anderson, Neco Williams, and Hudson-Odoi also followed suit.
However, Belgian shot-stopper Matz Sels was the hero of the night, saving Jack Taylor’s effort to help Nottingham Forest progress. A quarter-final tie away to Brighton now awaits Nuno Espirito Santo’s men.
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