Nigeria injury watch pre-Unity Cup: Onuachu suffers ankle issue during Southampton v Aston Villa

Southampton striker Paul Onuachu has suffered another injury setback after picking up an ankle knock during the Saints’ 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon. 

Onuachu, who was included in the starting lineup despite lingering fitness concerns, was substituted at the start of the second half, with Tyler Dibling taking his place.

The Nigerian international picked up the injury in the first half after colliding with the advertising boards while attempting a header.

Although he managed to finish the half, Southampton interim manager Simon Rusk later revealed that the Super Eagles forward was dealing with ankle discomfort during the halftime break.

In quotes relayed by The Daily Echo, Rusk admitted that Onuachu's absence disrupted Southampton's game plan and impacted their attacking strategy.

"Paul picked up a knock, and he was struggling with his ankle," Rusk told the Daily Echo when asked for an update on the Nigerian forward.

"Unfortunately, we had to make an enforced change with that, which, based on some of the game plan, was obviously not helpful."

Onuachu’s withdrawal had a significant impact on Southampton’s attacking momentum. 

The Saints failed to register more than two shots after the break, allowing Aston Villa to dominate the second half and score all three goals.

The 30-year-old forward has been in impressive form since the start of 2025, netting four goals and registering one assist in the league.

His injury is a major concern for both club and country, especially with the Unity Cup tournament approaching and the resumption of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September.

Rusk could not provide a clear update on the severity of the injury but hinted that Onuachu’s replacement options were limited.

"We've got Ross (Stewart), who is a little bit more like-for-like, but we weren't quite confident that Ross was ready for a full 45 minutes.

"So they're the punches you've got to roll with. That was the overview for me. I'm not too sure how Paul is at the moment. I've not had an update."

Having already missed Nigeria’s World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March, Onuachu will be hoping this latest setback does not rule him out of contention for Eric Chelle’s squad ahead of the Unity Cup at the G-Tech Community Stadium in London.

Adeyemi Adewale

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