'He's going to get beaten up!' - Wind-up merchant Neal Maupay warned his antics could come back to haunt him after James Maddison & Kyle Walker clashes

West Ham's Antonio discussed Maupay's recent behaviour on the pitch during the latest episode of the BBC's Footballer's Football Podcast alongside Newcastle front man Callum Wilson. He suggested the Brentford player, despite being affable off the pitch, deliberately seeks to rile up his opponents.

Antonio said: "Maupay is known to be a bit of a wind-up! I know someone who knows him and he's meant to be a nice guy off the pitch but he does it on purpose. I feel he goes on the pitch to rub people up the wrong way and he's known for it now. He is probably the most disliked person on the field. One of these days he is going to get beaten up! Back in the day things used to happen in the tunnel, but it's 2024 now and you probably wouldn't get away with it."

Maupay has made headlines in recent weeks for getting into heated confrontations with Tottenham's James Maddison and Manchester City's Kyle Walker on the pitch. He mocked Maddison by copying his goal celebration and was alleged to have got under Walker's skin with taunts about his children - the City skipper is estranged from his wife over the birth of a second extra-marital child and is living away from the family home.

Maupay spoke only very basic English when he began his first spell at Brentford at the age of 20 in 2017. But the Frenchman didn't take lessons, opting instead to teach himself by watching English language films and television with French subtitles.

Maupay has hit a rich vein of form since the turn of the calendar year, scoring five times in five games so far in 2024. He will be looking to keep that going as Brentford prepare for challenging upcoming matches against Wolves, Liverpool and Manchester City, while hovering precariously above the relegation zone.