Paul Onuachu has thanked Southampton fans for sticking with him after he scored his first goal for the club in Sunday’s 3-2 Premier League defeat at Nottingham Forest, Afrosport reports.
The Nigerian forward came off the bench for Adam Armstrong in the 58th minute and scored the second goal for the Saints in added time with a header.
It marked a symbolic moment in the career of Onuachu at St. Mary’s, where he has failed to establish himself as a first-team player and has largely been limited to substitute roles since he joined from Genk in February 2023.
“I mean, it’s a good feeling to score, but disappointing we lost, but I’m happy that I scored in front of the fans,” he said per the club website.
“The away fans, they were brilliant, they’ve been supportive even though we are last on the table and they’ve been also cheering for me to get this goal. I think all kudos to them for the goal because they’ve been really cheering for me to get the first goal.”
Onuachu added: “They’ve been brilliant. Even though we’ve been last in the table they’ve been travelling everywhere, full everywhere, I mean I’m just going to dedicate this goal to them because they’ve been supportive to be honest, they’re cheering for me when sometimes I’ve played a good game, played not so good game, they are still ‘Paul, come one, come on’ and still cheering. It’s nice to see.”
Off the mark 💥 pic.twitter.com/jUtbjhk2iO
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) January 20, 2025
Southampton remain bottom of the Premier League standings with six points from 22 games but Onuachu wants the team to keep fighting.
“Like I always say, we’ll keep fighting and regardless that we’re bottom of the table we are really sure we can compete with any team, literally any team, and I mean it,” he stated.
“But yeah, we find ourselves in this position and we just have to keep fighting to see where we end.”
Southampton will next take on Newcastle United at St. Mary’s on Saturday afternoon.
