Michail Antonio has overtaken Paolo Di Canio to become West Ham United’s all-time top goalscorer in the Premier League.
The forward achieved the milestone in Monday’s 4-1 win over Leicester City, with his 48th goal for West Ham and then adding his 49th for good measure.
It’s remarkable for a player who was not even signed as a striker.
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Since joining the east London club from Nottingham Forest six years ago, Antonio has played as a right-back, left-back, right winger, left winger, wing-back, second striker and, more recently, as the club’s main man up front.
The 31-year-old fan favourite was first deployed as a striker by David Moyes last year, with Sebastian Haller injured and when Marko Arnautovic (who had also been converted into a striker from a wide man) had left the club.
“I hated it at first,” Antonio admitted. “When you’ve got your back to play, defenders come through the back of you. You’ve got to be able to take that hit, and then control the ball, and then find the pass.”
But since that initial tricky start, Antonio has adapted brilliantly.
Centre-forward had been a problem area for West Ham over the years. There were costly signings that did not work out (Haller, Nicky Maynard, Simone Zaza and Jordan Hugill to name but a few).
The Athletic can reveal Antonio has reached out to Di Canio in the hope the Italian will congratulate him on breaking his record. So, with that in mind, The Athletic has decided to watch back all 49 of Antonio’s strikes and recount each moment.
He’s got 24 with his right foot, 18 with his head and seven with his left. The clips show how Antonio has developed into a natural finisher from a player who started out scoring mostly headed goals.
Here are some of Antonio’s best moments in a West Ham shirt retold.
No 1: Southampton, Premier League, Dec 28, 2015 (right foot)
It took seven games, and over three months, for Antonio to find the back of the net for his new club after that September move up to the Premier League from Championship Forest. In just his fourth league start for West Ham, and second at home, he was deployed on the right of a front three, next to Enner Valencia through the middle and Mauro Zarate to the left.
James Collins whips in a cross for the forward and Southampton’s Cuco Martina fails to clear the danger. Antonio pouches on the error, advances and scores in bizarre fashion when an attempted clearance hits him and loops in.
No 2: Liverpool, Premier League, Jan 02, 2016 (head)
Some of Antonio’s attributes are his strength, hold-up play and pace, but his aerial ability has really set him apart from other former West Ham forwards. In this win over Liverpool on the second day of the new year, Antonio made it two goals in as many games and there was no lucky bounce this time, as he leapt above Nathaniel Clyne to power in an early header.
No 3: Aston Villa, Premier League, Feb 02, 2016 (head)
Another header. This time, captain Mark Noble’s pinpoint cross finds the forward, who cushions the ball past goalkeeper Mark Bunn.
No 4: Sunderland, Premier League, Feb 27, 2016 (left foot)
This goal will always live long in the memory. Not because is Antonio’s first West Ham goal with his left foot but because it’s the first time he pulls out this Homer Simpson-inspired celebration.
Antonio said after the game: “I watched The Simpsons Movie and I saw Homer do it, and I thought it looked hilarious so I’ll do it if I score.”
Love it.
No 5: Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Mar 02, 2016 (head)
For those familiar with the movie Candyman, if a Tottenham defender says Antonio’s name three times in the mirror he will end up scoring against them. The striker has scored against West Ham’s bitterest London rivals five times in nine league appearances. Here, a corner from Dimitri Payet sees him leap to net the only goal of the game.
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No 6: Everton, Premier League, Mar 05, 2016 (head)
Another match, another header and for the first time in Antonio’s West Ham’s career, he has scored in three consecutive games (all while playing right midfield, not as a striker). Noble curls in a cross towards the back post and Antonio powers home a header.
No 7: Manchester United, Premier League, May 10, 2016 (head)
Yep — you guessed correctly — another header. This was West Ham’s second-last goal at Upton Park, just to make it a bit more special. Payet dinks a cross into the box and Antonio evades his marker, Antonio Valencia, to equalise, before Winston Reid’s iconic winner four minutes later.
No 8: Stoke City, Premier League, May 15, 2016 (right foot)
This goal highlights all Antonio’s qualities as a forward. Reid heads Payet’s cross back in, Antonio controls the ball with his chest, takes a touch with his right foot and then fires a shot into the bottom left-hand corner. There are six Stoke players around Antonio and three more on the line yet none could prevent him scoring.
No 9: Bournemouth, Premier League, Aug 21, 2016 (head)
The first-ever Premier League goal scored at the London Stadium.
This is another example of Antonio rising to the occasion. A brilliant cross Gokhan Tore sees the forward get above Charlie Daniels to head in the winner.
No 10: Manchester City, Premier League, Aug 28, 2016 (head)
“Antonio’s been doing this a long time now in a West Ham shirt and there’s no one better coming in at the back post,” remarks commentator Niall Quinn (who was very impressive in the air himself in the 1980s and ’90s).
This is yet another superb leap from Antonio, who heads in Arthur Masuaku’s cross.
No 11: Watford, Premier League, Sept 10, 2016 (head)
Against Sunderland six months earlier, Antonio had debuted that Homer Simpson celebration. But he had another ace up his sleeve.
Having scored the opener here with a header from Payet’s corner, he decided to celebrate by doing The Worm breakdancing move.
No 12: Watford, Premier League, Sept 10, 2016 (head)
This six-goal thriller saw West Ham race into a 2-0 lead after 33 minutes but end up losing 4-2. Antonio, once again, finds himself in the right place at the right time. Payet’s rabona cross sails to the far post and finds his team-mate, who gleefully heads into an empty net.
What a partnership that, briefly, was…
No 13: West Bromwich Albion, Premier League, Sept 17, 2016 (head)
This game was instantly one to forget for West Ham as it finished in a heavy 4-2 defeat. But it saw another Payet assist for Antonio, who heads in the Frenchman’s cross at the near post.
No 14: Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Nov 19, 2016 (head)
Antonio sure loves scoring against Tottenham. First, we saw the Homer Simpson celebration, then The Worm, so it was only right Antonio celebrates his first goal since Halloween by re-enacting Michael Jackson’s Thriller dance.
No 15: Liverpool, Premier League, Dec 11, 2016 (right foot)
All good forwards anticipate defenders making an error.
Here at Anfield, it was Joel Matip’s lapse in concentration that enables Antonio (starting as a centre-forward now) to pounce and score past Loris Karius.
Payet had scored a brilliant free kick to open the scoring for West Ham.
No 16: Swansea City, Premier League, Dec 26, 2016 (left foot)
Antonio’s second goal with his left foot and his last goal of 2016.
Havard Nordtveit attempts a shot from distance, which falls to Antonio, who sidefoots past future West Ham team-mate Lukasz Fabianski.
No 17: Bournemouth, Premier League, Mar 11, 2017 (left foot)
Sofiane Feghouli passes to him looking for a one-two, but Antonio has other ideas.
He controls the ball with his right foot and fires it with his left past the despairing dive of Artur Boruc.
No 18: Burnley, Premier League, Oct 14, 2017 (right foot)
Following Joe Hart’s goal kick, Antonio tracks the ball in the sky, and after hesitation from Ben Mee, pokes it past Nick Pope and scores into the unguarded net.
Just look at Arnautovic (No 7) already celebrating at the bottom right of the image before the shot is even struck.
No 19: Liverpool, Premier League, Feb 24, 2017 (right foot)
A beautifully weighted pass from Pedro Obiang sees Antonio through on goal. Due to the angle, this is a difficult chance but one he finishes beautifully.
No 20: Swansea City, Premier League, Mar 03, 2018 (right foot)
Blink and you’ll miss him. This goal is similar to the one Antonio scored against Stoke almost two years earlier. The striker turns his body and fires a strike with his right foot. Swansea’s relegation bound defence fail to react in time.
No 21: Cardiff City, Premier League, Dec 04, 2018 (head)
Antonio + headers = goals. Robert Snodgrass whips in a brilliant corner and Antonio, who was playing at full-back in this game, rises above Cardiff midfielder Harry Arter to score.
No 22: Fulham, Premier League, Dec 15, 2018 (left foot)
This 2-0 win meant West Ham were enjoying their best run in the league since February 2014. Felipe Anderson curls in a cross for Javier Hernandez, who flicks it to an unmarked Antonio to score from close range.
No 23: Liverpool, Premier League, Feb 04, 2019 (right foot)
Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita had very little time to react to Anderson’s quickly taken free kick. Antonio bends his run and scores in the bottom corner.
No 24: Fulham, Premier League, Feb 22, 2019 (head)
You guessed it. Another header. Arnautovic tees up Antonio, who finishes expertly — from a bit of a distance — past Sergio Rico.
No 25: Leicester City, Premier League, Apr 20, 2019 (head)
Antonio’s versatility and all-around game deserve more appreciation. He can score with his head and both feet, and is often praised for his tireless performances.
In this 2-2 draw with Leicester, Noble floats in a cross and he rises above his marker to score in the bottom corner.
No 26: Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Apr 27, 2019 (right foot)
Another goal against West Ham’s biggest London rivals and another with this right foot, this time with Arnautovic providing the assist.
No 27: Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Nov 23, 2019 (right foot)
It is Jose Mourinho’s first match in charge of Spurs and although it ends in a disappointing 3-2 defeat for West Ham, Antonio scores his first goal of the 2019-20 season by firing this strike past Hugo Lloris.
No 28: Southampton, Premier League, Feb 29, 2020 (right foot)
After the match, a dejected Antonio spoke about wanting to add more goals to his game and he hasn’t looked back since. Pablo Fornals sidefoots a cross over James Ward-Prowse and Jan Bednarek, leaving Antonio to hammer it home.
No 29: Chelsea, Premier League, Jul 01, 2020 (right foot)
In the build-up to this goal, Antonio was fouled in the box by Antonio Rudiger. But the forward quickly got back up and is unmarked when he converts Jarrod Bowen’s pass.
No 30: Newcastle United, Premier League, Jul 05, 2020 (right foot)
It was after the first COVID-19 lockdown that Antonio really caught fire as a forward.
When West Ham were embroiled in a relegation fight, he stepped up to score the goals that kept them in the Premier League. Away at Newcastle, Bowen flashes a pass across the face of goal and, via a deflection off home defender Jamaal Lascelles, Antonio buries it from close range.
No 31: Norwich City, Premier League, Jul 11, 2020 (right foot)
Arguably Antonio’s best game in a claret and blue jersey. It is the day he scored four goals and the first hat-trick of his professional career.
The slightest bit of movement enables him to drift into space at the near post, then whip a shot past Tim Krul.
No 32: Norwich, Premier League, Jul 11, 2020 (head)
Noble delivers a well-taken free kick and Antonio leaps above Timm Klose to head his second goal of the game.
No 33: Norwich City, Premier League, Jul 11, 2020 (head)
It’s the hat-trick! Krul makes a good save initially, but is unable to prevent Antonio scoring from the rebound.
No 34: Norwich City, Premier League, Jul 11, 2020 (right foot)
Ryan Fredericks makes an advancing run and tees up the striker at the near post to cap off a memorable day.
No 35: Watford, Premier League, Jul 17, 2020 (left foot)
Another game where Antonio makes an intelligent run in behind the defence. A pass, via a deflection off visiting defender Christian Kabasele, sees Antonio score with a low shot between goalkeeper Ben Foster’s legs.
No 36: Manchester United, Premier League, Jul 22, 2020 (right foot)
Antonio doesn’t even look at David de Gea before he converts from the spot here. The striker’s eyes are firmly focused on the ball and the Manchester United goalkeeper fails to guess which way Antonio is putting it. It was the first penalty Antonio had taken and the only one he has scored…
No 37: Arsenal, Premier League, Sep 19, 2020 (right foot)
Another assist from Fredericks. The full-back makes a run down the right and Antonio positions himself between Arsenal defenders Rob Holding and Gabriel. Despite Holding’s best efforts, he gets on the end of the cross to equaliser just before half-time.
No 38: Leicester City, Premier League, Oct 04, 2020 (head)
Aaron Cresswell is known for being a dead-ball specialist at West Ham. The left-back delivers a pinpoint cross here for Antonio, who is on hand to score at the far post in a 3-0 away win over Leicester.
No 39: Manchester City, Premier League, Oct 24, 2020 (right foot)
This acrobatic strike is one of Antonio’s best goals for West Ham. Tomas Soucek plays a short corner to Vladimir Coufal, who whips in a cross for the forward.
Antonio puts his body in front of Ruben Dias, who would go on to win last season’s football writers’ player of the year award, and scores a superb bicycle kick past Ederson.
No 40: Burnley, Premier League, Jan 16, 2021 (right foot)
Clearly, the opposition haven’t been doing their homework because defences keep leaving Antonio open in the six-yard box. Here against Burnley, Fornals crosses towards the back post and Antonio taps it home.
No 41: West Bromwich Albion, Premier League, Jan 19, 2021 (right foot)
Why settle for one acrobatic goal when you can score two? This is another great finish from the forward, as he scores in back-to-back league games for the first time since the previous July.
No 42: Tottenham Hotspur, Premier League, Feb 21, 2021 (left foot)
Tottenham’s defence must hate playing against Antonio. A good ball down the right from Bowen here sees Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez struggle to repel the danger.
Antonio then gets on the end of Bowen’s cross and although Lloris saves his initial attempt, he tucks away the rebound.
No 43: Manchester City, Premier League, Feb 27, 2021 (left foot)
You will notice that, with more experience as a striker, Antonio is becoming more of a poacher.
He is still capable of scoring headers but he is now thinking like a true penalty-box predator. Coufal threads a pass to Jesse Lingard, who sidefoots a pass towards the back post, where Antonio taps it home.
No 44: Burnley, Premier League, May 03, 2021 (head)
Coufal looks towards Antonio and floats a brilliant ball into the box. The forward shrugs off Matthew Lowton to score another from close range.
No 45: Burnley, Premier League, May 03, 2021 (right foot)
A wonderfully worked goal between Antonio and Said Benrahma.
Antonio previously formed good partnerships with Payet and Arnautovic and the signs are encouraging there is now a strong understanding with summer 2020 signing Benrahma, judging by their subsequent performances in pre-season and the season opener against Newcastle United.
No 46: West Bromwich Albion, Premier League, May 19, 2021 (right foot)
This is brilliant counter-attacking play from West Ham.
Fornals makes an advancing run in his own half, then threads a pass to Lingard, who waits for Antonio to bend his run before teeing him up to score past Sam Johnstone.
No 47: Newcastle United, Premier League, Aug 15, 2021 (right foot)
Having missed a penalty in this match, Antonio was keen to get his first goal of the season at Newcastle.
He provided an assist for Benrahma to make it 2-2 in what was eventually a 4-2 West Ham win (though they trailed twice and were behind at half-time) and the Algerian then turned provider for Antonio, who capped off an emphatic season-opening victory.
Following a lung-bursting run, Benrahma threads a pass to Antonio, who shoots into the bottom left-hand corner.
No 48: Leicester City, Premier League, Aug 23, 2021 (right foot)
Antonio receives the ball from Declan Rice with his back to goal, turns Caglar Soyuncu and rifles the ball into the net. He then celebrates with a cardboard cut-out of himself, Dirty Dancing-style. As you do.
No 49: Leicester City, Premier League, Aug 23, 2021 (right foot)
Two goals in four minutes for Antonio against 10-man Leicester and the second was the sweetest one. He flicked the ball over two defenders and stabbed it home, before receiving a standing ovation from a packed London Stadium as he is replaced by Andriy Yarmolenko shortly afterwards.
(Top photo: Getty Images/Design: Sam Richardson)