Liverpool number one Alisson Becker once named a surprising Premier League striker as the toughest opponent he has ever faced. The Brazilian is widely regarded to be one of, if not the best goalkeeper in the world, and re-emphasised that in an incredible performance against Paris Saint-Germain, where he was given a 9/10 rating by L'Equipe.
Very few people have been able to get the better of Alisson since he stepped foot on English soil, with quality attackers such as Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak all having their difficulties. However, the 32-year-old once revealed that a player who has never scored more than 10 Premier League goals in a single season was more difficult to come up against than these world-class stars.
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Alisson Names Michail Antonio as His Toughest Ever Opponent
The Brazilian described the West Ham frontman as 'annoying'
Speaking to the PFA, as per Sportskeeda, Alisson shockingly revealed that veteran West Ham number nine Michail Antonio was his pick for his toughest ever player. The pair have faced off against each other ten times in their careers, and despite Antonio being on the winning side just once, Becker explained what made him such a handful.
"I could say so many but I would say, he is really annoying. Michail Antonio. The guy is too strong. Set-pieces are hard against him."
Despite not being the most clinical of strikers, Antonio has long been West Ham's go-to guy up top. Despite some high-profile additions in attack over the years, such as Gianluca Scamacca and Danny Ings, the Jamaican international always finds a way back into the team and, as a result, became the Irons' all-time Premier League top scorer, currently sitting on 68 strikes.
Michail Antonio's Premier League Career
Games
Minutes
Goals
Minutes per Goal
Assists
Antonio's future in professional football is currently unknown. The 34-year-old was involved in a catastrophic car accident back in December and was expected to be out of action for at least 12 months as a result of the injuries he sustained. While there has been no public confirmation as to how his rehab is going or exactly what the striker is suffering from, the nature of the accident could force him to retire.
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All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt - accurate as of 06/03/2025.