Michail Antonio believes Neal Maupay may be at risk of facing physical retaliation due to his behavior on the field, with the West Ham striker branding Maupay as ‘the most disliked person on the field.’
Maupay, known for his ability to provoke opponents and fans alike, is considered the top provocateur in the league.
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The 27-year-old recently angered James Maddison of Tottenham by mimicking his goal celebration and engaged in a heated altercation with Manchester City’s Kyle Walker after taunting the English defender.
While Antonio acknowledges that Maupay may present a different persona off the field, he warns that continuing to provoke others could lead to violent consequences.
‘Maupay is known to be a bit of a wind-up,’ Antonio said on the Footballer’s Football Podcast. ‘I know someone who knows him and he’s meant to be a nice guy off the pitch but he does it on purpose.
‘I feel he goes on the pitch to rub people up the wrong way and he’s known for it now.
‘He is probably the most disliked person on the field. One of these days he is going to get beaten up! Back in the day things used to happen in the tunnel, but it’s 2024 now and you probably wouldn’t get away with it.’
Antonio wasn’t exactly condemning the former Brighton player; in fact, he admitted to being a fan of Maupay’s antics. However, he does foresee negative outcomes for him in the future.
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‘I’m not going to lie, I rate it!’ Antonio continued. ‘I rate it for him. It’s not something I would do but it’s part of his character, the fact he can just put it on in a game and 90% of the time he knows what he is doing, so it’s a skill that he has.
‘But there is going to be a day where someone is not going to have it and at half-time and at the end of the game he’s going to be in trouble.
‘He better start practising kickboxing!’
Ex-Aston Villa standout Gabby Agbonlahor stated on talkSPORT that Maupay used to face rough treatment from opponents in the past, but with stricter regulations nowadays, he finds himself better shielded from such physicality.
‘I feel like Neal Maupay is lucky that the rules have changed in football, that you can’t kick people,’ said the former England striker. ‘If you went and gave him a good kicking you know you’re going to get sent off, it’s not worth it.’
