'There will come a point' - Reds icon insists Awoniyi is still key to Nottingham Forest despite Wood's form

Nottingham Forest legend Lewis McGugan has insisted that Taiwo Awoniyi is still key to the Reds despite the brilliant form of Chris Wood.

The Super Eagles striker has lost his starting berth to the New Zealand international and has found game time difficult to come by, having started just two games across all competitions this term.

The last time Nuno Espírito Santo handed the 27-year-old a start was in the Premier League defeat to Fulham last month, with Wood establishing himself as one of the most-in-form strikers in the English top-flight.

The 32-year-old has bagged seven goals in nine Premier League games and is in the running alongside Chelsea star Cole Palmer, Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, and five others for the Player of the Month.

During his interview with the Forest Focus Podcast via Nottingham Forest News, McGugan said that Wood's form has helped ease the pressure on Awoniyi, who he believes will still be needed by Forest at some point this season.

"I think when we look at it, we're in such a good place with Chris Wood it takes the pressure off of Taiwo Awoniyi. It takes the necessity off of us to potentially rush him back and run the risk of his body breaking down. 

"I think that's what we've had to do in the past and it's not done him any good and also it's not done the team any good to rush him back a little bit.

"This with Wood allows him to continually build his body, continually allow him to get back to where he was before the injuries.

"There will come a point where we need him – Chris Wood is doing brilliantly right now – but there will come a point when we need Taiwo and hopefully with his period now when we do need him he will be perfectly ready and he can come good again."

The Nigeria international has not found the back of the net since he scored against West Ham United in February at the City Ground.

With Forest's incredible start to the season, which sees them sit 7th in the Premier League standings, two points adrift of a place in the top four, Awoniyi will have to rediscover his goalscoring form to earn the trust of Espírito Santo.

Abdulkareem Abdulhamid

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