Awoniyi targets Salah, Adebayor’s scoring run as Forest dares Man United

Nottingham Forest’s Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United at The City Ground in Nottingham, central England, on August 18, 2023. (Photo by AFP)

Nigerian striker Taiwo Awoniyi will aim to equal the record of Mohammed Salah and Emmanuel Adebayor as the Africans with the longest Premier League scoring run when Nottingham Forest face Manchester United on Saturday.

Awoniyi, last Friday, netted in a 2-1 win over Sheffield United to equal the scoring record of Stan Collymore in six consecutive Premier League games for Forest between March and April 1995.

His scoring run is now the longest ever by a Nigerian player in the competition and is surpassed by only two Africans, Salah and Adebayor who found the net in seven straight EPL games each.

Awoniyi has scored eight goals in his past six league games and could become the first player to score in Forest’s opening three top-flight matches of a season since Peter Davenport in 1984-85.

The former Union Berlin ace a fortnight ago netted in a 2-1 loss to Arsenal to become only the second Forest player to score in five straight EPL appearances, also matching Collymore’s feat.

Awoniyi had become the first player since 1995 to score in four straight Premier League games for Forest as the match-winner when the club defeated Arsenal 1-0 at the City Ground back in May.

The 26-year-old will look to score his 13th goal in 30 Premier League appearances for the Tricky Tees as they pay a visit to the Red Devils at Old Trafford come Saturday afternoon.

Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian Ola Aina has returned to training following a groin issue that kept him out of the