After waiting patiently for his chance to shine in a Claret and Blue shirt, Michail Antonio has established himself as an important player for West Ham United.
On Saturday, the No30 scored for the third consecutive home match, robbing Sunderland left-back Patrick van Aanholt and cutting in from the right before curling a low left-foot shot beyond Vito Mannone.
Having netted in the Emirates FA Cup replay win over Liverpool and the Barclays Premier League victory over Aston Villa, Antonio completed a personal hat-trick with the winner against Sam Allardyce’s Black Cats.
Saturday’s goal came as a result of hard work on the training field at Chadwell Heath, where the 25-year-old spent time working on that very move and strengthening his left foot.
Against Sunderland, Antonio showed the versatility and work-rate that has endeared him to the Boleyn Ground faithful.
His goal came from one of two shots he unleashed, both of which were on target. The first found the net and was celebrated with a unique Homer Simpson-style dance move that went viral on social media!
The second was an effort from distance that was safely handled by Sunderland stopper Mannone.
With West Ham dominating for long periods in possession and territory, Antonio’s heat map showed he spent the majority of the game in the attacking half of the pitch.
Aside from his shots, Antonio also delivered two crosses and embarked on two successful dribbles, while his defensive contribution was also significant, with the right winger making three tackles, two interceptions and one clearance.
With 49 touches to his name, the summer signing from Nottingham Forest was heavily involved and his performance won praise from manager Slaven Bilic.
“Michail probably dreamed about the Premier League for five or six years and then he had to wait for his chance,” said the manager.
“Now he’s become a player of massive importance to this Club. He is enjoying it and we are enjoying it too. He deserves it all.
“He deserves it for his work-rate, his attitude and how he is on a daily basis.”
On Saturday, the No30 scored for the third consecutive home match, robbing Sunderland left-back Patrick van Aanholt and cutting in from the right before curling a low left-foot shot beyond Vito Mannone.
Having netted in the Emirates FA Cup replay win over Liverpool and the Barclays Premier League victory over Aston Villa, Antonio completed a personal hat-trick with the winner against Sam Allardyce’s Black Cats.
Saturday’s goal came as a result of hard work on the training field at Chadwell Heath, where the 25-year-old spent time working on that very move and strengthening his left foot.
Against Sunderland, Antonio showed the versatility and work-rate that has endeared him to the Boleyn Ground faithful.
His goal came from one of two shots he unleashed, both of which were on target. The first found the net and was celebrated with a unique Homer Simpson-style dance move that went viral on social media!
The second was an effort from distance that was safely handled by Sunderland stopper Mannone.
With West Ham dominating for long periods in possession and territory, Antonio’s heat map showed he spent the majority of the game in the attacking half of the pitch.
Aside from his shots, Antonio also delivered two crosses and embarked on two successful dribbles, while his defensive contribution was also significant, with the right winger making three tackles, two interceptions and one clearance.
With 49 touches to his name, the summer signing from Nottingham Forest was heavily involved and his performance won praise from manager Slaven Bilic.
“Michail probably dreamed about the Premier League for five or six years and then he had to wait for his chance,” said the manager.
“Now he’s become a player of massive importance to this Club. He is enjoying it and we are enjoying it too. He deserves it all.
“He deserves it for his work-rate, his attitude and how he is on a daily basis.”