Taiwo Awoniyi: Nottingham Forest striker in induced coma after abdominal surgery due to injury against Leicester

13 May 2025, 19:05 | Updated: 14 May 2025, 12:48

Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi is in an induced coma in hospital following emergency abdominal surgery.

There is no suggestion the 27-year-old's condition is life threatening and it is understood the coma will help restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate.

Awoniyi suffered a ruptured intestine after colliding with a goal post in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Leicester.

The striker, who received lengthy treatment after the injury but then attempted to play on despite being in clear discomfort, required urgent abdominal surgery on Tuesday.

Awoniyi had been rushed to hospital on Monday evening after further investigations by Forest's medical staff revealed just how serious his condition was.

Forest said Awoniyi was "recovering well so far" on Tuesday after his operation.

The offside controversy surrounding Awoniyi

The Awoniyi incident has reignited debate around football's offside rules as Anthony Elanga - who provided the pass that the Forest striker strived to reach at the back post - was clearly in an offside position but wasn't flagged to bring play to a stop.

Assistant referee Sian Massey-Ellis kept her flag down to an IFAB rule which states that delaying the flag is only permissible in a very clear attacking situation when a player is about to score a goal or has a clear run into/towards the opponents' penalty area.

The PGMOL - who are in charge of the Premier League's refereeing laws and use IFAB's directive when it comes to VAR protocol - are of the opinion that the assistant can raise the flag if they 100 per cent believe a player is offside. But if there is any element of doubt, they will keep the flag down.

Analysing the incident on Sky Sports' Ref Watch, Dermot Gallagher said: "You see her [Massey-Ellis] explaining to the [Leicester] goalkeeper, because even he queries why she hasn't flagged.

"You can clearly see she says, he's not far enough offside, I have to hold my flag. It's not the law - it's a directive.

"The law is offside, but the directive to the assistants is because we've got VAR, don't put your flags up early, if he puts it in the net you can then go back and check."

One of the benefits of that policy is to stop valid goals wrongly ruled out by an early flag, and help alleviate human error. It has been in place in the Premier League since 2021 and while incidents like Awoniyi's are rare, the Forest striker's injury has provoked a conversation on this ruling.

There have been calls around the Premier League for delaying the flag in obvious offside circumstances to be scrapped.

Speaking on Ref Watch, Stephen Warnock said: "Surely it has to be common sense, common sense has to kick into gear at some point.

"Common sense tells you: three or four yards, get your flag up and stop these things from happening. I'm not having a go at Sian Massey-Ellis, I'm talking about the rule makers in general.

"If it's two or three yards [offside] and something in your mind is thinking: is it offside or isn't it? I'm not so sure here. Then keep your flag down, I understand that.

"But that? Just put your flag up."

In December 2023, Man City defender John Stones picked up an injury during a phase of play that was later 'ruled out' for offside, prompting an angry response from Pep Guardiola.

He said: "I don't understand. It's so clear, the offside, and now he is injured. They say 'you're right Pep, you're right'... but it's late. It's not them [the officials], the rules come from the big bosses... but I don't understand."

And on the opening weekend of this season, when Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson went through on goal while clearly offside, Guardiola was seen remonstrating with the fourth official. Speaking on co-commentary, Gary Neville complained the process to flag him offside took "14 days".

Again, speaking on Ref Watch this week, Warnock added: "We're looking at [the Awoniyi incident] and going: is that what we've been waiting for? For something to happen to change the rules?

"Because we've all been saying it for years now where there could be a collision a and the assistant referee says: 'that was offside by the way'. We all knew it was, why haven't you made that decision?"

Forest: 'Shared frustration that medical team allowed Awoniyi to play on'

Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis came onto the field to speak to head coach Nuno Espiritio Santo after the game - a 2-2 draw that damaged their Champions League hopes - with the club saying it was down to frustrations about Awoniyi being allowed to play on.

In a strongly-worded statement, Forest said: "The truth of the matter is there was no confrontation with Nuno or with others, either on the pitch or inside the stadium.

"There was only shared frustration between all of us that the medical team should never have allowed the player to continue."

(c) Sky Sports 2025: Taiwo Awoniyi: Nottingham Forest striker in induced coma after abdominal surgery due to injury against Leicester