Nottingham Forest striker, Taiwo Awoniyi, is in an induced coma after undergoing emergency surgery, according to the Daily Mail.

The Nigeria international was injured in the closing stages of Nottingham Forest’s 2-2 draw with Leicester City in the Premier League on Sunday.

On Tuesday, the club released a statement which said the Nigerian was “recovering well so far following urgent surgery on a serious abdominal injury”

But fresh reports now claim the injury could have been fatal, had it not been operated on in what has been described as a “complex” medical procedure.

Taiwo Awoniyi undergoes abdominal surgery — Reports

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Awoniyi was treated on the pitch after colliding with post while trying to put the ball in the back of the net.

He initially tried to be brave and play on, but was eventually forced off after a few minutes.

The incident had provoked an angry reaction from Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who stormed on to the pitch and confronted boss Nuno Espirito Santo in a bizarre incident after the final whistle.

Marinakis said he was concerned about Awoniyi’s condition after he was left on despite Nuno consulting with his medical staff during stoppage-time.

It was a disappointing day for Forest, whose Champions League hopes suffered a major blow as a result of the draw with relegated Leicester.

Nuno’s seventh-placed are no longer in charge of their own destiny in their bid to appear in the Champions League for the first time since 1980-81.

They sit one point outside the Premier League’s top five places — which guarantee qualification for the Champions League — with two games left against West Ham and top five rivals Chelsea.

Forest are assured of at least a place in the UEFA Conference League, which will see them play European football for the first time since 1995-96.