WEST Ham boss David Moyes branded Michail Antonio “stupid” over his late red card in Saturday’s goalless draw at Saints.
In-form Antonio arrived on the south coast as the Premier League’s leading scorer and having been crowned the top-flight’s August player of the month on Friday.
But his first club appearance in September ended in ignominy after he picked up a second yellow card in the fifth minute of added time, as the unbeaten Hammers missed the chance to go top of the table.
Antonio – who had scored four goals and provided three assists in West Ham’s opening three games – collected his first booking for throwing Jack Stephens to the ground in frustration following a 71st-minute tangle.
The one-time Saints loanee was shown a second yellow card by referee David Coote for a late tackle on Moussa Djenepo, prompting cheers from the home crowd.
“Look, it can happen in football,” said Moyes.
“Having been booked the first time, he was stupid to lunge in but these things in football happen, so we’re not going to make too big a deal of it.
“He’s got himself sent off and at the time it looked like the referee probably got it right.
“We always knew these sort of things could happen and they have done.”
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