Nottingham Forest will be without Nigerian duo Taiwo Awoniyi and Ola Aina when they host Brighton in Sunday’s Premier League encounter, dealing the club a significant setback ahead of a crucial home fixture.
Awoniyi Sidelined With Knee Problem
Awoniyi remains out with a knee injury, which also kept him out of Forest’s clash with Liverpool last weekend. The striker had only just returned to full training and made a few substitute appearances following a long layoff due to a serious abdominal injury earlier in the year. His latest setback comes at a time when Forest were hoping to ease him back into regular action.
Dyche Not Convinced About Aina’s Immediate Return
Manager Sean Dyche has also tempered expectations around Ola Aina’s return, despite the defender rejoining training. Aina has been out since sustaining a hamstring injury in Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with South Africa during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September.
The former Chelsea full-back has missed four Super Eagles fixtures, including key playoff games in Morocco, and has been unavailable for 14 Nottingham Forest matches across all competitions.
Forest Growing in Confidence
Despite the injury setbacks, Forest head into the Brighton match buoyed by strong performances. They recently stunned Liverpool and defeated Leeds, signalling a resurgence in form. At the City Ground, they have been particularly impressive—holding Manchester United to a draw and overpowering Leeds in their last home outing.
Forest will now hope their improved rhythm carries them through Sunday’s clash, even without two of their key Nigerian stars.
