Michail Antonio has claimed that he’s still receiving messages from angry Liverpool fans.
Before Liverpool’s win over West Ham United in September, the Hammers forward made some very confident comments about his expectations for the game.
“You know what, I think we are going to finish higher than Liverpool this season,” Antonio told the Footballer’s Football Podcast. “I’m putting it out there. I watched the game [vs Wolves] because it was before our game and Wolves could have run away with it.
“They had quite a few opportunities. We’ve got them this weekend and it’s a six-pointer. We’ve got them!”
As it turned out, West Ham had nothing at all. Despite a couple of decent looking openings – including one for Antonio himself – Liverpool cruised to a 3-1 win.
Now, back on the Footballer’s Football Podcast again, the 33-year-old has issued his response, and he’s not impressed with Liverpool supporters.
“I swear to you, if we won that game, some would have turned up to my house!” he exclaimed. “If we won that game, I was so implanted in these Liverpool fans heads they would have turned up to my house. It was a madness. It went everywhere. The amount of messages I got all week from Liverpool fans after the game. I probably won the game even though I didn’t win because how am I still implanted [in your heads]? I’m still getting messages today!”
Antonio doubles down
Let’s just make one thing clear here: Antonio and West Ham won absolutely nothing against Liverpool.
He can spin this into a success for himself if he wants to, but the Jamaica international has made a real fool of himself.
Of course, there is still a chance that West Ham will finish above Liverpool this season. The campaign is still young, anything can happen. But it looked a bold claim from Antonio at the time, and it looks even bolder now.
As he points out though, it was almost a different story. Had he finished his guilt-edged chance in-front of the Kop at 0-0, perhaps West Ham would have gone on to win.
As it was, the former Nottingham Forest man fluffed his lines, heading a mile off target.
Still, Liverpool fans should be cautious of laughing at Antonio too much. He’s put the Reds to the sword before, and after his run-in with supporters will no doubt be motivated when the teams meet at the London Stadium in April.
Until then though, Antonio perhaps may not see an end to the messages any time soon.
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