West Ham host Newcastle United in the Saturday lunchtime and Michail Antonio has admitted his lack of goals recently is frustrating.
The Hammers striker started the season in superb form, netting six in his first eight Premier League games and adding three assists along the way. However, since then the Jamaican international has only managed two goals and three assists in 16 league games and he is not happy with this return.
Thankfully for West Ham, Jarrod Bowen has hit form and with seven in his last seven matches for the club has become a regular goalscoring just when the Hammers need him.
"In the last 12 games, I am pretty sure I have not had ten shots, everything is just dropping for Jarrod [Bowen] it is all just dropping for the boy," Antonio told the BBC Footballers Football podcast.
"I am not going to lie I am getting a bit frustrated myself [when] obviously I am not getting opportunities myself but it happens, the tide will turn and I will get my chances again."
Antonio is hoping to find form again this weekend when he comes up against Newcastle and the striker spoke about the match to Magpies striker Callum Wilson on the podcast.
"It is definitely going to be a hard game with the way you guys [Newcastle] have performed in the past few weeks, you see the resilience in your team, and we’ve shown that as well," Antonio added.
"We’ve basically gotten things even though we’ve not performed at our best. Three points are needed to be fair, we’re going for this fourth spot so we can’t let up. We have to go for it, and as much as I like you and the relationship that we’ve built on this podcast, we can’t let up, and if I score this weekend I will throw up a W for you."
Despite the 20 point gap between the two sides Newcastle go into the match in fine form, having won their last three league games and being unbeaten in five. However, Antonio is keen for West Ham to concentrate on their push for European football next season.
"It is crazy [pushing for the top four]," Antonio said, "This is my seventh season at West Ham, I am used to being at the bottom fighting to stay in the league and this is the third season where we have not had to do that. We have got 40 points already so that is us safe! Everyone wants to get to that 40 mark so that is us safe that is our mindset.
"What is difficult now is to transition our mindset to go from a team where we sit back and counter teams to where we try to control possession and breakthrough teams. Right now we are in the middle stage of coming from that team to always be fighting relegation to trying to be a team that is always going to be up there always fighting for European football and that is the stage we are at."
On the Hammers top-four chances, Anotnio added: "We definitely believe we can do it."
