Antonio: ‘Sounds beautiful’ to be top scorer
Reggae Boyz target Michail Antonio says it “sounds beautiful” to be called West Ham United’s top English Premier League scorer after his late brace helped the Hammers demolish Leicester City at London Stadium on Monday night.
The 31-year-old, who is tipped to make his debut outing for Jamaica shortly, scored his first goal on 80 minutes which took him to 48 Premier League goals for the club, surpassing Paolo di Canio on 47.
For good measure, Antonio, who was wasteful in the first half when he spurned a hatful of chances and received a “caning” from manager David Moyes at the break, added a second on 84 minutes to take his Hammers tally to 49.
The striker celebrated surpassing di Canio’s record by waltzing with, lifting and kissing a Michail Antonio cardboard cut-out.
Moyes was not impressed by the celebration, saying: “It’s not something I’m keen on.”
But the former Manchester United boss was happier with Antonio’s performance in the second half after using “some choice words” at the break.
“I’m really pleased,” said Moyes. “I was disappointed with the way he played in the first half, but he did enough to shut the manager up after what I said to him at half-time.”
BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Chris Sutton, who was at London Stadium, said of Antonio: “This was a masterclass. It was the perfect centre-forward performance.”
Antonio, who has had more shots – 11 – than anybody else in the Premier League this season, said: “It sounds beautiful to be called West Ham’s top Premier League scorer.
“I feel like in the first half it affected how I was playing, but the gaffer caned me at half-time and I played normally and managed to get my goals.”
UK-born Antonio, reportedly now in possession of a Jamaican passport, was unable to represent the Reggae Boyz in the recent Concacaf Gold Cup.
Now it remains to be seen if he will represent the country going forward thanks to his Jamaican heritage, with Concacaf final-round World Cup 2022 qualifiers getting underway next month.