West Ham United midfielder Michail Antonio reveals it is a dream to play with Dimitri Payet and says he helps to get the best out of everyone in the squad.
Payet stole the show once again during the Emirates FA Cup Fifth Round tie against Blackburn when he scored another sublime free-kick and then went on a great solo run and produced a great piece of skill to score his second at the end of a convincing 5-1 victory at Ewood Park.
The French star has been rewarded for his superb form this season with a new contract which will keep him at the Boleyn Ground until 2021.
And Antonio hopes he can continue to play his part in a memorable season for the Club as they look to reach Wembley and win the Emirates FA Cup this season.
Antonio said: “Dimitri Payet is a dream to play with and he is definitely the best player I have played with in my career.
“His vision, his work-rate – he is not one of these flair players that makes everyone else get the ball for him and then does damage. He will go and win the ball back himself and then cause damage.
“He does both – the gritty side and the flair.
“You saw in the Blackburn game that players are looking to mark Dimitri and it allows other players like Victor Moses to burst clear into holes and that is how he scored a goal.
“Manchester United at Old Trafford (in the quarter finals) is a big game and is where I started playing again in the first-team and it is a great stage to play on.”
Antonio also has nothing but praise for the way Slaven Bilic has managed to get the best out of the whole squad and says it was one of their best performances of the season against Blackburn on Sunday.
Antonio added: “We gelled perfectly on Sunday and Blackburn got the brunt of it. I think that is probably the best we have performed all-round.
“Defensively and in attack we all gelled well together and switching the play, that is the best we have performed.
“Slaven remains calm and even in games when he feels we should be doing better, he will come in and say 'boys we have the ability to get back in there and I believe in you.'
“Even if we don't get the points he wants us to show we can do better and make him proud.”