Taiwo Awoniyi Reflects on Mixed Emotions of Playing at Anfield
Taiwo Awoniyi has admitted that while it was a dream come true to finally feature at Anfield last season, the circumstances left him feeling somewhat conflicted. The 26-year-old never registered a senior appearance for the Reds due to various work permit issues during his time at the club, but has since gone on to become an established Premier League forward.
Awoniyi netted 11 times in all competitions for Nottingham Forest last season and already has three goals and two assists to his name in 2023/24, despite having been sidelined since the beginning of the month. His groin injury will prevent him from lining up against his former side this weekend, but Awoniyi was able to feature at Anfield for his new club last season.
The striker admits he had a “mixed feeling” about finally stepping out in front of a Liverpool home crowd in April’s 3-2 defeat to the Reds. “Last season playing at Anfield was a dream come true,” Awoniyi told Liverpool’s official website as he previewed this weekend’s contest. “Of course, I probably dreamed of playing there for Liverpool before I left, so playing there against them, it was a mixed feeling, I would say!”
Awoniyi made a permanent move away from Anfield in 2021 and his impressive spell at Union Berlin earned him a move back to the Premier League and the City Ground. He has since gone on to become a permanent feature in Steve Cooper’s side, but holds fond memories of Liverpool despite not getting the opportunity to play for the club.
Awoniyi gives “credit” to the Reds for the progression he made in his early years, adding that his experiences with the senior team provided a “wow” factor. “Liverpool, I always say, is a family club,” he continued. “You develop as a person as well as a footballer, and I give so much credit to Liverpool for the way they looked after me, all the time I was away. I’m forever grateful for that.”
The Nigerian forward believes that his time with the Reds was important for his development as a player and person. “It was an important period, really good for me, and it was a big reason I was able to develop into the player and the person I have,” he said. “The training sessions, wow! I knew that this is the kind of training that you win something from! You don’t train like that and then at the end of the season you get nothing.”
Despite being surrounded by world-class talent such as Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino, Awoniyi knew that his chances of playing were slim. This prompted him to make the difficult decision to leave Anfield in search of regular first-team football.
“I knew I needed to get to a place where I was playing every week. It was hard [leaving], but it was a decision I had to make,” he concluded.
Taiwo Awoniyi has made a name for himself since leaving Liverpool and is now one of the Premier League’s most exciting forwards. While he may have had mixed emotions about playing at Anfield last season, Awoniyi will always be grateful for the time he spent with Liverpool and the progress he made during his time there.