Antonio is in a golden age after learning vital lessons
DAVID MOYES claims Michail Antonio is heading into the West Ham record books because he has finally grown up.
Antonio will become the club’s all-time top scorer in the Premier League if he gets his 48th goal in the competition against Leicester tonight.
That looked fanciful earlier on in his Hammers career when he was dropped and fined for poor timekeeping.
Antonio’s maturity was in question, not helped when he crashed his Lamborghini into someone’s garden – dressed as a snowman.
But Moyes says the 31-year-old has learnt to be more professional. The West Ham boss said: “Since I came back to the club and put Micky at centreforward, he’s really produced. “It’s not just his goals. His link-up play has improved, as has his allround play. He is now really important to us. I’ve always found Mick really good. But as he’s got older, which you often find, they appreciate how you get longevity.
“The way you keep your career going is by keeping yourself in great condition, eating well and training well, and geting as much rest as you can. Mick has got to the stage where he’s well into that. He’s probably fitter than ever.
“His numbers. are still not as high as they should be but I hope his all-round fitness will enable him to play more football this season.”
WEST HAM (probable): Fabianski; Coufal, Dawson, Ogbonna, Cresswell; Rice, Soucek; Bowen, Benrahma, Fornals; Antonio.
LEICESTER (probable): Schmeichel; Pereira, Vestergaard, Soyuncu, Castagne; Tielemans, Ndidi; Perez, Maddison, Barnes; Vardy.
PAUL BROWN