Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi has been placed in an induced coma after urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury sustained in Sunday’s 2-2 draw with Leicester.
Awoniyi had surgery on Monday evening and while there is no suggestion his condition is life-threatening, it could have been if left untreated.
The coma has been induced to restrict his movement and regulate his heart rate in order to aid his recovery, with further treatment expected on Tuesday.
The 27-year-old slid into the post late in Sunday’s match, in a passage of play after Anthony Elanga had been clearly offside, before continuing to play after several minutes of treatment.
This injury has placed renewed scrutiny on the Premier League’s regulation to continue play in the case of goalscoring opportunities even if a player is noticeably offside in the build-up.
Owner Evangelos Marinakis confronted head coach Nuno Espirito Santo on the pitch after the game, which the club have claimed was regarding the medical team’s treatment of Awoniyi.
In a statement released on Monday, Forest said: “The seriousness of Awoniyi’s injury is a powerful reminder of the physical risks in the game and why a player’s health and well-being must always come first.
“This principle is not just policy for us, it is the deeply held belief and conviction of our owner. To Marinakis, this isn’t just a club, it’s family, and he instils that message in all of us.
“That is why he was so personally and emotionally invested in the situation. His reaction was one of deep care, responsibility and emotional investment in one of our own.
“He didn’t just see it as an isolated incident, but something that reflected the values and unity of the entire team.”
The club then went on to praise their owner’s character and behaviour, saying: “In moments like that he demonstrates his leadership, not just through words, but through action and presence.
“When he saw our player clearly in discomfort it became increasingly difficult for him to stay on the sidelines.
“It was instinctive, human, and a reflection of just how much this team and its people mean to him. He would do the same again if such an unfortunate event were ever to reoccur.
“There was no confrontation, with Nuno or 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.”
The statement finished with a plea which appeared to target Gary Neville, who had called for Nuno to resign on Sunday after Marinakis’s on-pitch outburst.
They said: “In light of this, we urge former coaches and players, and other public figures in the game, to resist the urge to rush to judgment and fake news online, especially when they do not have the full facts and context.
“Baseless and ill-informed outrage for the purposes of personal social-media traction serves no one, least of all the injured player. We call on these influential voices to show the same respect for player welfare that they often demand from others. Let concern come before commentary.”
