Four-goal Michail Antonio relegates Norwich
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ByEurosport
Updated 11/07/2020 at 13:40 GMT
Premier League, Carrow Road – Norwich City 0 West Ham United 4 (Antonio 11 45 54 74)
Antonio celebrates
Image credit: Getty Images
Michail Antonio scored an amazing four goals as West Ham moved closer to safety and relegated Norwich with a 4-0 victory at Carrow Road.
The Hammers started the game only three points above the drop zone, while basement side Norwich needed to avoid defeat to keep their faint hopes of survival alive.
The hosts found themselves down after just 11 minutes, however, as Antonio was left unmarked to finish at the far post following a Jarrod Bowen corner.
West Ham were dominant and doubled their lead from another set-piece in added-time at the end of the first-half, with Antonio's glancing header from Mark Noble's free-kick beating Tim Krul.
Antonio made it a treble after being slipped through by Noble nine minutes into the second-half, heading into an empty net after Krul had saved his initial shot, as Norwich collapsed, and number four followed in the 74th-minute with a lovely flicked finish from Ryan Fredericks' cross.
The victory means West Ham are now six points above the drop zone and with only three games remaining, their place in the top-flight looks secured. Norwich, meanwhile, with just 21 points have officially been relegated to the Championship.
TALKING POINT
What next for Norwich? Daniel Farke's side has played some attractive football this season, but ultimately they haven't had enough at either end of the pitch. They aren't clinical enough in the final third and they concede too many goals - a recipe for disaster. So it's a return to the Championship, but if they fail to address their shortcomings during pre-season they may struggle even in the second tier.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Michail Antonio (West Ham): Few forwards have been better than Antonio since football's resumption and this was a performance he will never forget. Almost everything he touched turned to gold.
PLAYER RATINGS
Norwich: Krul 5, Aarons 5, Godfrey 5, Klose 5, Lewis 5, Vrancic 5, Tettey 5, Buendia 6, Stiepermann 5, Hernandez 5, Pukki 5. Subs: Rupp 5, Cantwell 5, McLean 5, Idah 5, Martin 5.
West Ham: Fabianski 7, Fredericks 6, Diop 6, Ogbonna 6, Cresswell 7, Soucek 7, Rice 7, Noble 8, Fornals 7, Bowen 7, Antonio 10. Subs: Balbuena N/A, Yarmolenko N/A, Wilshere 5, Haller 5, Masuaku N/A.
KEY MOMENTS
11' - GOAL! Norwich 0-1 West Ham (Antonio). A huge goal for West Ham! Antonio has been a livewire coming off the left flank and now he gives the Hammers lift off. He wriggles free at the far post to tap in after Diop flicked on a header from Bowen's cross.
45'+1 - GOAL! Norwich 0-2 West Ham (Antonio). Antonio at the double! It's from another set-piece as Norwich are all over the place defensively once more. Noble floats a free-kick in from the left and Antonio glances a header past Krul. Much too easy.
54' - GOAL! Norwich 0-3 West Ham (Antonio). Antonio grabs his hat-trick! It's a career first. A lovely clipped ball from Noble releases Antonio, whose first touch is excellent. His first shot is saved by Krul but it comes back to the West Ham forward who nods it into the empty net. Game over!
74' - GOAL! Norwich 0-4 West Ham (Antonio). Oh my, Antonio has a FOURTH! Noble sends a ball down the line for Fredericks, who is too strong for Rupp. He centres it for Antonio who pokes it into the net with a lovely finish inside the six-yard box.
KEY STATS
- Norwich have been relegated from the Premier League for a record fifth time
- Michail Antonio is the ninth player to score four goals away from home in a Premier League match and the first to do so since Harry Kane against Leicester in May 2017.
- He is also the first West Ham player to score four goals in a league match since David Cross against Spurs in September 1981.
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