NOTTINGHAM FOREST manager Nuno Espirito Santo announced Taiwo Awoniyi suffered a concussion and a breached chemoreceptor aft a bloody clash against Exeter City.
Awoniyi, 27, started for Forest successful the FA Cup fourth-round necktie against Exeter astatine St James Park and scored a extremity during a dramatic 2-2 draw that led to a tense punishment shootout won by the visitors.
Nottingham Forest brag Nuno Espirito Santo lifted the lid connected Taiwo Awoniyi’s injuryRex
Nuno confirmed Forest prima Awoniyi suffered a concussion and breached noseRex
Forest manager Nuno said Awoniyi was successful ‘a batch of pain’Getty
But Nuno insists Awoniyi rapidly regained his smileAlamyThe striker made it 2-1 aft team-mate Ramon Sosa cancelled retired Josh Magennis’ opener but couldn’t decorativeness the lucifer aft a horror collision with the Grecians’ goalkeeper Joe Whitworth’s elbow.
The Nigeria planetary fell to the crushed and required astir 11 minutes of attraction earlier being taken disconnected the transportation connected a stretcher successful the 13th infinitesimal of stoppage time, conscionable earlier the last whistle.
Nuno, 51, shared the afloat grade of the centre-forward’s wounded stating helium was successful “a batch of pain”.
However, the Portguese tactician confirmed Awoniyi rapidly regained his smile.
Nuno said: “He had a concussion and I deliberation helium broke his nose, truthful a batch of pain.
“But helium has a grin connected his face, that [is] due to the fact that helium did an astonishing job. We are delighted with him.”
Forest endured a stressful nighttime successful Exeter arsenic Magennis completed a brace aft Awoniyi’s goal, which led to a punishment shootout.
The Tricky Trees won 4-2 aft netting each of their spot-kicks but Nuno was criticised for his dense rotation, which included 10 changes.
However, the ex-Tottenham brag insists that was a necessity and hinted helium volition bash the aforesaid successful the 5th circular against Ipswich Town.
This comes amid Nottingham’s stunning play that has seen them challenging for a top-four decorativeness and Champions League qualification.
Nuno added: “It’s not astir resting [players], it’s astir however we are approaching the competition.
“We did the aforesaid astatine Luton, and we’re going to astir apt bash the aforesaid [again] because, unfortunately, we cannot springiness minutes to each the players.
“So this is simply a reward for each the players that worked truthful hard, the young boys. It’s bully for us. It’s not resting players. It’s taking attraction of each the squad.
“The FA Cup is precise hard, and conscionable look astatine the draws that came. A batch of surprises volition happen.
“We conscionable person to bash our job. It’s going to beryllium astatine the City Ground [the lucifer with Ipswich], and we’re going to beryllium ready.”
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