Monday, January 7

Is Antonio now back to his best?

Another assist for Michail Antonio in the win against Birmingham. It's been a good couple of months for the injury-prone utility player. After the 4-0 home defeat to Man City Antonio said that he felt fully fit for the first time in two years (which makes you wonder how WHU's medical team got his recoveries so wrong). 

Since then he's played as an emergency full back against Cardiff and scored with a header and scored at Fulham in a game where he caused a lot of problems as a striker running up the channels. He was then used as cover for Zabaleta at right-back and while still looking suspect defensively, he made Anderson's winner at Southampton with a great ball out of defence. 

As a sub against Brighton he changed the game, making a great run and cross for Arnautovic's equalising goal and then surging into the box with a mazy run only to shoot wide. He followed this up by providing the cross for Andy Carroll's late goal against Birmingham. So there's plenty of evidence that Michail is getting back to his best; and on this form he surely deserves a place in the starting line-up.

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