Callum Wilson takes swipe at Michail Antonio as West Ham United ace skips podcast after Liverpool ‘shambles’
Callum Wilson has accused West Ham forward Michail Antonio of running scared after sitting out their weekly podcast on Wednesday [27 September].
Antonio was targeted by Liverpool supporters last week after claiming on The Footballer’s Football Podcast [21 September] that West Ham would finish above the Reds in the Premier League this season.
Those words came back to haunt the Jamaica international a few days later as he produced a poor individual performance in a 3-1 loss for the Hammers at Anfield.
Antonio was not present for the latest edition of the podcast due to West Ham being in EFL Cup action, but Wilson took no time in poking fun at his close friend.
“Where’s Michail? Has he run away after his shambles of a performance?” Wilson said [0m 33s].
Co-host Rickie Haywood-Williams added that Antonio had “bottled it”, before adding the real reason behind his absence.
However, Wilson said: “If he’d have said that statement and [West Ham] had gone and beat Liverpool, Michail would be sitting here tonight under any circumstances.
“The fact he made that prediction, had no goals, assists or shots on target, no aerial duels won, lost the ball 10 times, played 75 minutes before being dragged, for me personally I wouldn’t show my face either.”
Move on
Antonio is fair game for criticism as he simply did not back up his assertion that West Ham are currently a better side than Liverpool.
There is still time for his prediction that the Irons will finish higher than the Reds in the table to come true, but that seems unlikely in fairness.
West Ham fans would no doubt be quick to jump on an opposition player making similar comments and subsequently having a stinker.
But the criticism Antonio has received has gone a little over the top in some quarters.
After all, players are often accused of being boring and media trained, but when Antonio breaks away from the norm it then becomes a problem.
Let’s just hope he can put that performance at Anfield, in which he was ironically cheered by home fans when making way, quickly behind him.
As for Liverpool fans, they will no doubt have a new pantomime villain to target soon.
In other West Ham news, an agent has confirmed the Hammers were interested in signing his client in the summer.