Piers Morgan leads prayers for Michail Antonio after West Ham confirm their Premier League’s all-time top scorer is involved in car accident

The football is uniting on social media as well-wishes flood in for Michail Antonio after he was involved in a car accident on Saturday.

Images have emerged of a smashed Ferrari, and the 34-year-old’s club West Ham confirming that the forward has been involved in a traffic road accident – but is now in a stable condition.

An outpouring of emotion has been made towards Antonio from other football clubs, fellow professionals and football fans.

Piers Morgan was among those to quickly send his thoughts to Antonio writing on X: ‘Whoa… this looks very bad. Hope he’s OK,’ alongside a prayer emoji.

Antonio’s former team-mate Jobi McAnuff, who played alongside him at Reading, took to Instagram to send his prayers too. 

‘Thoughts and prayers to Michail and his family,’ he wrote alongside three prayer emojis. 

Photos have emerged of a smashed Ferrari, reportedly showing the aftermath of the crash

Piers Morgan took to X on Saturday afternoon to send his best wishes to the West Ham forward

Multiple clubs across England have also sent their thoughts to Antonio, his loved ones and West Ham following the news – including Liverpool, Chelsea and his former side Sheffield Wednesday.

West Ham’s initial statement about Antonio read: ‘West Ham United can confirm striker Michail Antonio has today been involved in a road traffic accident,’ a West Ham statement read.

‘The thoughts and prayers of everyone at the Club are with Michail, his family and friends at this time.

‘The Club will issue an update in due course.’

However, they have since provided an update – reporting that he is in a stable condition.

‘West Ham United can confirm that Michail Antonio is in a stable condition following a road traffic accident this afternoon in the Essex area. 

Michail is conscious and communicating and is currently under close supervision at a central London hospital. 

At this difficult time, we kindly ask everyone to respect the privacy of Michail and his family. 

‘The Club will make no further comment this evening, but will issue a further update in due course.’

Pictures have emerged on social media following the crash, which showed extensive damage to the vehicle.

Antonio had previously been involved in a car crash on Christmas Day back in 2019. 

The footballer had crashed his £210,000 Lamborghini Huracan into a bin shed of a family home in Balham, south London while dressed as a snowman after losing control of his car.

Antonio had opened up on the financial consequences of the crash in 2021. 

‘I was struggling to get insurance this year,’ said in 2021. ‘No-one wanted to insure me!

‘I had to go to a specialist insurance company, so my insurance this year is a madness! I’ve got a G63 now. They were offering me £10,000 for an [Audi] A3 to insure, or get a G63 and pay double the price but get to drive a G63 instead of an A3.

‘I’d rather pay £20,000 and drive a G63 rather than pay £10,000 and drive an A3.

‘It was Christmas Day. Still to this day it has hurt me. I miss that car. Basically, I was driving but it was a slippery road.

‘In the car it corners nicely and holds the road, so I was going 30-35mph on a 30mph road. As it holds corners I think I don’t need to break, I’m just going to go round the corner like I do all the time.

‘But as I go round the corner, it skids. So as it skids, I s*** myself and I slam on the brakes – the worst thing you could do on ice as you just speed up when you’re meant to just go with it kind of thing.

‘So I slam on the brakes, skid and go up on the curb – but I don’t really remember it, everything just happened so fast.

‘Then smoke comes out of the front of the car, and the engine is in the back so I’m thinking ‘the car is gonna blow up!’, even though it’s just the airbags.

‘So I’m having to jump out of the passenger side of the tiny car. It’s a madness.

‘And the thing is, I was in a snowman costume as well. I don’t get why I didn’t take it off in there, sort it out.’

Antonio, a Jamaica international, is in his 10th season with West Ham after joining the club from Nottingham Forest in 2015. He has scored 83 goals in 323 appearances for the London side.

The 34-year-old began his footballing journey with non-League Tooting and Mitcham before moving into the professional ranks with Reading.

He has also had spells with Cheltenham, Southampton, Colchester and Sheffield Wednesday.