Taiwo Awoniyi has looked back on the two goals that defined his early Nottingham Forest career — the strike that gave the club their first Premier League goal of the 21st century and the winner against Liverpool that carried a unique personal meaning.

Forest returned to the Premier League in 2022 after a 23-year absence, and it was Awoniyi who provided the moment supporters had waited decades for. The Nigerian striker scored in first-half stoppage time to seal a 1-0 win over West Ham United on August 14, 2022 — Forest’s first Premier League goal since their relegation in 1999.

“For me, it was like a dream come true once more, scoring my first-ever Premier League goal, being the first person to score the first Premier League goal after being back in the Premier League,” Awoniyi recalled.

“I think it’s a moment I will never forget. In that moment, I was just so happy, scoring where I’ve wanted to be.”

But it was the winner against Liverpool on October 22, 2022, that carried the most complex emotions.

Awoniyi had spent six years contracted to Liverpool without ever making a competitive appearance for the club, a situation he attributed at the time to his inability to secure a work permit due to the lack of a senior Nigeria cap.

During that spell, he was loaned to six clubs — FSV Frankfurt, NEC Nijmegen, Royal Excel Mouscron, Racing Genk, Mainz 05 and Union Berlin — before his permanent transfer to the German side and later to Forest.

When Forest met Liverpool at the City Ground in the league’s 13th matchday, Awoniyi scored in the 55th minute, reacting quickest to slot home the rebound after his initial effort had come back off the post to secure a 1-0 win.

“Nottingham Forest 1-0 against Liverpool on October 22, 2022. Scoring against them is a bit of mixed feeling,” he told Forest’s YouTube channel.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t get to play for them, but scoring for Forest against them, and looking at how much, we were looking for the points at that time, was something I will never forget as well.”

Awoniyi arrived at Forest from Union Berlin before the 2022/23 season began and has since cemented himself as one of the club’s most important attacking figures.