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Gianluca Scamacca backed to dislodge Michail Antonio

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West Ham United striker Gianluca Scamacca is on the verge of achieving the “impossible” under David Moyes.

What’s the word?

That is according to Paul Brown, who has been discussing the Italian’s rapid rise to prominence with GIVEMESPORT following a somewhat slow start to life at the London Stadium.

As such, the journalist feels that Scamacca has the potential to usurp Michail Antonio as the Hammers’ first-choice centre-forward, a scenario which “seemed impossible” not too long ago.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Brown said: “A year or so ago, it seemed impossible that anyone would ever usurp Antonio as West Ham’s first choice striker, even when he wasn’t scoring, he gives you so much else, his work rate and dependability and the fact that he just bothers defenders for 90 minutes was so important to West Ham.

“But ultimately, the club needs goals and it’s important to try and get Scamacca out there firing, so I think he does have a genuine chance to get a run in the team, if he keeps his form going.”

Scamacca catching fire

Since returning from international duty with Italy, summer signing Scamacca has launched himself into form and subsequent first XI contention at the London Stadium, having started just one league match prior to October.

The 23-year-old has delivered just when Moyes needed him most, scoring in the all-important 2-0 win against Wolves at the start of the month, where a defeat could well have landed the Irons boss in very hot water given their opponents’ struggles.

The Italy international has now scored in three consecutive games for West Ham and is justifying the £35.5m transfer fee which saw him trade Serie A for the Premier League over the summer.

Six goals in 12 games is his record in all competitions for the Hammers so far, with Moyes surely excited by what might happen once Scamacca is granted regular minutes.

If his time at Sassuolo is anything to go by, we can expect an emphatic supply of goal contributions, with the Irons’ number 7 scoring 16 goals in 25 starts for the Serie A outfit last season.

For so long West Ham’s only senior centre-forward, and having started 34 league games in 2021/22, Antonio might soon have to be content with a backup role if Scamacca continues to astound the east London faithful.

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