Nottingham Forest manager Sean Dyche expressed immense satisfaction after Taiwo Awoniyi secured a vital 2-0 victory over Brentford on Sunday. The Nigerian international, who struggled for consistency and fitness under former boss Nuno Espirito Santo, appears to have revitalized his career under Dyche’s leadership. Awoniyi capitalized on a rare opportunity at the Gtech Community Stadium, netting his first goal of the 2025/26 campaign with a powerful individual effort that sealed the points for the “Tricky Trees.”
Dyche has spent recent weeks integrating the 28-year-old back into the first-team fold, offering the striker a clean slate to prove his worth. The forward’s persistence in training evidently paid off, as he outmuscled the Brentford defense to register his first league strike in nearly a year. This resurgence comes at a pivotal time for Forest, who seek to pull away from the Premier League relegation zone following a period of offensive inconsistency.
The manager emphasized that a shift in mindset contributed to the striker’s successful return to the scoresheet. By encouraging Awoniyi to play with freedom rather than the weight of expectation, Dyche believes the club has unlocked a key asset for the second half of the season. Forest fans now hope this goal-scoring return marks the beginning of a sustained run for the former Union Berlin man as he competes for a starting spot in Dyche’s rejuvenated lineup.
Sean Dyche reflected on the striker’s impactful performance during the post-match celebrations: “Absolutely buzzing. He works hard for us and trained well in the last week. I had a chat with him – nothing heavy – and reminded him to be free. He looked free when he came on. He worked very hard and it was a very good finish.”
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