Wood's injury: Awoniyi in contention to make rare start for Nottingham Forest against Brighton

Super Eagles forward Taiwo Awoniyi could be handed a rare start for Nottingham Forest against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday following an injury to first-choice striker Chris Wood.  

Awoniyi has endured a challenging season at Forest, struggling for regular game time due to Wood's impressive form.

The Nigerian striker has featured in 22 league matches but started only twice, scoring just one goal. 

Meanwhile, Wood has netted 18 goals and provided three assists in 29 league games.

His limited role has sparked uncertainty over his future at the club, but Wood's absence presents an opportunity for him to prove his worth.  

Speaking in his pre-match press conference, Forest head coach Nuno Espírito Santo confirmed that Wood will miss the game after sustaining an injury during international duty.  

"He went for a scan today, we're still waiting. He went to see a specialist for the scan so we're waiting for the information," Nuno was quoted as saying by Forest's official website. 

"He's not going to be available for this game (against Brighton). He fell really hard on his hip and there is some pain there, so we have to wait."

The coach also mentioned that several players returned from international duty in different physical conditions, meaning the final squad selection will depend on late fitness assessments.  

"Every time we have an international break players come back in different conditions, so we have to assess them and many of them have arrived today. We're waiting on (Ramón) Sosa tomorrow, then we can assess them."

Awoniyi was notably absent from Nigeria's 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe, as he was left out of both the provisional and final squad lists by Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle due to his inconsistent form.  

With Wood sidelined, Awoniyi now has a chance to make an impact and stake his claim for a starting role under Nuno as Forest looks to continue to fight for Champions League spot

Adeyemi Adewale

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