Taiwo Awoniyi’s hopes of reviving his season have been dealt a fresh blow after Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo confirmed the Nigerian striker has suffered a hamstring injury.

The 27-year-old was absent from the matchday squad in Forest’s 2-1 defeat to Aston Villa at Villa Park on Saturday, with Nuno revealing post-match that Awoniyi picked up the injury during preparations for the game.

“I don’t know when they’ll be back,” Nuno told Sky Sports UK. “It’s going to be day to day. He [Taiwo Awoniyi] felt something in his hamstring.”

Awoniyi has endured a frustrating campaign, struggling for consistent minutes due to Chris Wood’s impressive form. He recently began to see more game time following Wood’s injury during the international break, but his bid to regain form and confidence has yet to bear fruit—he is still without a goal or assist across all competitions this season.

The injury setback comes at a critical time for Awoniyi, who had been looking to convince Nuno of his worth and reclaim a regular starting role. It also adds to the disappointment of missing out on Nigeria’s 23-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe in March.

With a four-nation invitational tournament scheduled for June, Awoniyi will now turn his focus to rehabilitation, hoping to recover fully and return stronger both for club and country.