Nottingham Forest striker Taiwo Awoniyi impressed with a brace against Chelsea, but Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo secured the Premier League honour with a match-winning performance against Liverpool.

Nigeria international Taiwo Awoniyi has missed out on the Premier League Player of the Matchweek 35 award despite delivering a standout performance for Nottingham Forest.

Awoniyi lost out to Manchester United youngster Kobbie Mainoo, who claimed the prize following his match-winning display for the Red Devils.

The Nigerian striker was nominated after an impressive outing in Forest’s 3-1 victory over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, where he celebrated his 100th appearance for the club in style.

Awoniyi opened the scoring with a header after just two minutes, won the penalty that led to Forest’s second goal, and added another strike early in the second half to seal the victory.

The brace took his tally to four league goals in 14 appearances this season and played a crucial role in lifting Forest to 16th place on the table, six points clear of the relegation zone with three matches remaining.

His performance earned him a place among the seven nominees shortlisted for the weekly accolade, with fans voting to determine the winner.

However, Mainoo emerged victorious after producing a decisive display in Manchester United’s 3-2 win over Liverpool. The England midfielder scored the winning goal and played a key role in helping United strengthen their push for UEFA Champions League qualification.

In its official announcement, the Premier League praised Mainoo’s influence beyond his goal, highlighting his composure and efficiency in midfield throughout the contest.

Reports indicated that the England international secured 54 per cent of the fan vote to claim his first Player of the Matchweek award, finishing well ahead of Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyökeres, who received 13 per cent.

Awoniyi polled six per cent of the votes, placing him among the leading contenders but short of the winning mark.

Other nominees included Jeremy Doku, Bukayo Saka, Conor Gallagher and Thierno Barry.

Despite missing out on the award, Awoniyi’s performance further underlined his importance to Nottingham Forest’s survival battle, with the Nigerian forward expected to remain central to their fight in the remaining fixtures of the season.

He was not included in Forest’s Europa League campaign earlier in the season due to fitness concerns.