Michail Antonio has admitted to the official West Ham United club website that he found his recent goal drought to be a ‘frustrating’ period that the striker now hopes is in the past.
The 31-year-old scored in the Irons’ Boxing Day defeat to Southampton to end his wait for another Premier League goal. He had gone eight games and 787-minutes without finding the net, after scoring six in his first eight appearances of the campaign until October 24.
Firing home against the Saints has brought life back into Antonio’s season and West Ham’s frontline. The Jamaica international added a fifth assist for the term and his second since August in their win at Watford. He then scored again away to Crystal Palace on Saturday.
West Ham only managed to win three of their eight games Antonio failed to score in amid his dry spell. Two of their victories also came in the first two, including against Liverpool.
Antonio issues fresh West Ham aim in goal drought admission
West Ham’s run of one win in seven before beating Watford also saw Antonio’s side fall out of the Champions League positions. But back-to-back wins and Manchester City beating Arsenal on Saturday has allowed the Hammers to close back to within one-point.
The Irons may now move back inside the Premier League top-four when they host Norwich on January 12. Fourth-place Arsenal are next in top-flight action at Tottenham on the 16th.
Antonio also hopes his return to form marks the end of the West Ham star’s barren period. Only Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah (25) has influenced more league goals than David Moyes’ mainstay (13) so far this season.
“I’m a person who always wants to score goals, and I always believe in myself and that I should score goals,” Antonio said. “I’m my biggest critic. So, when I wasn’t scoring, it was frustrating. Sometimes it’s just about time.
“I managed to get my first one [against Southampton], got an assist last week [at Watford] and got a goal again [against Palace]. So hopefully, I can keep making goal contributions to help the team.”
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