West Ham: Journalist raves about Michail Antonio after ‘Unorthodox’ Aston Villa moment
Daily Mail journalist Tum Balogun has lauded West Ham star Michail Antonio for his performance against Aston Villa, highlighting an “unorthodox” moment during the 1-1 draw on Sunday (17 March).
Scoring for the first time since the 3-1 victory over Brighton in August, the 33-year-old helped the Hammers claim a well-earned point against the Villans and they probably should have left with more.
Antonio had a second goal disallowed for a foul, with Nicolo Zaniolo steaming in to poke home the equaliser. Tomas Soucek thought he had scored the winner, but VAR ruled that out too.
Writing for Mail Online on Monday (18 March), Balogun said of Antonio: “Just when it seems as though West Ham have outgrown Michail Antonio, he pops up with a devastating performance. His intelligence off the ball, speed and power make him a constant pest for defenders.
“His athleticism was on full display against Villa as he pulled off an unorthodox diving header from all of a yard above the ground. On another day the Jamaica international would have walked away with a brace but his second goal was ruled out after the ball brushed his arm on the way in.
“Since he returned from a knee injury in February, David Moyes’s men have two wins and two draws from five games.”
Can West Ham United finish among the Premier League top six spots?
Hot on the tail of Manchester United, David Moyes’ side have every opportunity to redeem themselves after a torrid run of eight matches without a win in all competitions.
That run was ended just at the right time, defeating Brentford and Everton in 4-2 and 3-1 results, before taking on Freiburg in the Europa League.
The Hammers certainly suffered during Antonio’s spell on the sidelines. And although the absence of Lucas Paqueta was far more impactful, there is no underplaying the striker’s ability on the pitch.
Though he may not have scored in the 5-0 romping of Freiburg on Thursday 14 March, Antonio was unlucky not to be awarded Man of the Match, mainly due to the spectacular goals around him.
His form continued across to the Premier League, nearly bagging a brace against Unai Emery’s high-flyers, and most will argue that his second goal should have stood amid the VAR interference.
In other West Ham news, Phil Thompson has shared his verdict on Moyes’ position at the London Stadium
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