SUPER Eagles striker Taiwo Awoniyi made his first appearance and his first start of the season for Nottingham Forest today as they got beaten 3-0 by Chelsea in their English Premier League clash at the City Ground.
The Nigeria international had been completely frozen out of the playing squad for weeks, but was surprisingly named in the starting line-up as head coach Ange Postecoglou sought to secure his first victory since replacing Nuno Espirito Santo in September.
Awoniyi, who suffered a horrific head injury towards the end of last season, played for 45 minutes and had only one shot as Josh Acheampong, Pedro Neto and captain Reece James struck for Chelsea to secure a third straight win in all competitions.
The result, which left Forest 17th in the Premier League table with just five points from eight matches, led to the sacking of Postecoglou, which was announced shortly after the match.
A statement from Nottingham Forest, released 20 minutes after full-time at the City Ground, reads: “Nottingham Forest Football Club can confirm that after a series of disappointing results and performances, Ange Postecoglou has been relieved of his duties as head coach with immediate effect. The club will make no further comment at this time.”
Postecoglou at Nottingham Forest is the first mid-season Premier League appointment to see his team score just one goal in his first five games in charge since Alan Shearer at Newcastle United in 2009, who would go on to be relegated, according to Opta statistics.
The Australian’s dismissal – 39 days after his appointment on September 9 – means Postecoglou’s stint at Forest is the shortest managerial reign in Premier League history.
The former Tottenham boss failed to win any of his eight matches in charge of Forest, with two draws and six defeats across all competitions.
Forest earned just one point from Postecoglou’s five Premier League matches in charge.