Southampton manager Ivan Jurić has commended Paul Onuachu for his standout performance in the Saints’ hard-fought 3-2 loss to Nottingham Forest.

Onuachu, making his 12th appearance for the South Coast club, scored in the 91st minute after coming on as a second-half substitute for Adam Armstrong in the 58th minute.

The late header marked the Nigeria international’s first-ever goal for Southampton since joining in January 2023 from Belgian side KRC Genk.

Despite his struggles to find form this season, Onuachu’s late effort injected brief hope into the Saints’ relegation battle.

Speaking during the post-match Jurić praised the forward’s determination, stating:

“I think Paul has quality. He wants to score, he is a fighter.

This is the quality, and I want players with quality. I think Paul can give us a lot.”

The 30-year-old’s goal may have arrived too late to salvage the game, but it highlighted his potential impact moving forward.

Southampton will now regroup as they prepare for another crucial test in their fight to escape the drop zone.