Southampton manager Ivan Jurić singled out Paul Onuachu for praise following his side’s 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at St. Mary’s Stadium on Wednesday night.

Onuachu opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a powerful header, directing Mateus Fernandes’ cross past goalkeeper Dean Henderson.

The Nigerian striker, who has been gradually finding his feet in the Premier League, proved to be a handful for Palace’s defence throughout the match.

Despite Southampton’s strong start, Crystal Palace managed to snatch a late equalizer in stoppage time through Matheus Franca, denying the Saints a much-needed victory.

Following the match, Jurić praised the 30-year-old’s performance.

“When he is full of energy, he can be really impactful. He did a great job out there,” the Southampton boss said, as reported by BBC.

After going 22 games without a goal in the Premier League, Onuachu has now netted four times in his last nine appearances, adding an assist to his name as well.

Ola Aina Ruled Out with Calf Injury

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest manager Nuno Espírito Santo has confirmed that Nigerian full-back Ola Aina has suffered a calf injury.

Aina was forced off during the first half of Forest’s 1-0 victory over Manchester United at the City Ground on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old struggled to walk off the pitch and was assisted by the medical team, raising concerns about the severity of his injury.

While initial assessments left doubts about how serious the issue was, further tests have now confirmed that Aina will be sidelined for an unspecified period.

“He has already undergone the scan and will be out for a while, unavailable. A big blow (to lose him), It is a problem with the calf,” Nuno told reporters in Thursday’s pre-match press conference.

When asked about Aina’s absence, the Portuguese coach admitted that his team would miss the Nigerian’s contributions.

“His quality, talent, and the routines he already has with his teammates, we are going to miss him,” Nuno added.

Aina has been a key figure for Forest this season, starting all 30 Premier League matches, logging 2,574 minutes, scoring two goals, and providing one assist.

His absence will be a significant setback for the club as they continue their fight for

Champions League spot.