Tottenham: ‘Leading’ Nottingham Forest player to miss out v Spurs amid Nuno Espirito Santo update
John Wenham of Lilywhite Rose believes the absence of Taiwo Awoniyi is a “huge loss” for Nottingham Forest going into the clash with Tottenham.
Awoniyi has impressed since arriving in the Premier League, scoring 16 goals and providing four assists in 34 appearances.
Having returned from a near-three month absence at the end of January, Awoniyi has once again been ruled out for the foreseeable future.
Speaking ahead of Forest’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace at the City Ground last Saturday (30 March), Nuno Espirito Santo confirmed that Awoniyi had suffered a major injury.
Nuno said, (via Nottingham Post, 28 March), “He is doing treatment. It is a serious injury, unfortunately”.
“I don’t know exactly how long he will be out for but I am positive we are going to see him again this season. He will definitely miss these two games.”
And according to Wenham, this is a huge setback for Sunday’s visitors.
Speaking exclusively to Tottenham News, Wenham, the founder of reputable Spurs podcast Lilywhite Rose, said: “Awoniyi is always a handful.
“He gets involved, he can finish, he has great power and strength, and he is right up there when you’re talking about the leading players at Forest.
“That is a huge loss for them, and it just reinforces the fact that this is a match which Spurs must win.
“I would be delighted with seven points from Luton, West Ham and Forest, and I think it would leave us in a really strong position in terms of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League.”
Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou have no excuses against Nottingham Forest
With Nuno claiming that he hopes to see Awoniyi again this season just one week ago, it is safe to assume that the Nigerian will play no part at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
He is a real threat, and Spurs’ back-four and Guglielmo Vicario will sleep a little easier knowing that they won’t need to come up against the 26-year-old.
Forest have found a bit of form as of late, but this remains a must-win game for Tottenham, with Awoniyi’s injury offering Ange Postecoglou very little room for any excuses.
After their disappointing 1-1 draw with West Ham on Tuesday (2 April), a big performance is needed from Spurs in front of their own supporters.
In other Tottenham news, Wenham believes Spurs could sign Morgan Gibbs-White, which would open the door for two Spurs stars to quit the club.
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