'It's bad news' - Steve Cooper confirms Nottingham Forest injury blow ahead of Brighton clash

The 26-year-old, who has scored four goals in 11 games this season, aggravated the groin issue he picked up in October during Nigeria's 1-1 draw with Lesotho earlier this month.

Now, head coach Cooper says the former Union Berlin star, who scored 10 goals in the Premier League to help keep them in the top-flight last season, has had surgery to treat the problem.

"It's bad news on Taiwo, he's had to have surgery and he is going to be out for months. We'll support him and try to get him back as quick and as fit as he can be, but it's a really unfortunate situation and a blow for him," Cooper told the club's website.

"He's become an important player for us with the goals he's scored and the goals he will score for us, but he's such a good guy and a good professional who is desperate to do well, so to get an injury like this is harsh on him.

"We've got to support him through the process of coming back stronger. He's done that once before here and I'm sure he will give everything again like he did last time. You think about how well he did when he returned last season, I'm sure that's given him a good reference point to come back to. We'll definitely see him again this season, but it's groin surgery so it will take a little while."

Aside from Awoniyi, Forest are without winger Callum Hudson-Odoi (hamstring), centre-back Felipe (knee), fellow defender Murillo (thigh), and midfielder Danilo (muscular) for Brighton's trip to The City Ground.