Dimitri Payet, last season’s top scorer for West Ham United, scored an early contender for goal of the season to salvage a point against Middlesbrough on Saturday.

Payet, who has registered a large number of shots this season, 17 in total, without finding the net, finally registered his first goal for Hammers this season. Payet’s goal came after Middlesbrough took the lead.=

Dimitri Payet’s form after the Euro 2016 has faced some ups and downs. Payet who terrorised the premier league defenders in his first season has found it hard in his current second season.

That stunning stoppage time winner against Accrington in the EFL cup and that skilful Rabona assist against Watford have only been two major highlights for Payet this season. But on Saturday, things were to take a different shape.

West Ham came on to this game on the back of a 4 back to back defeats conceding 14 goals in the process. The numbers became 15 when Middlesbrough took the lead through striker Cristhian Stuani.

Despite playing well and dominating the game, West Ham conceded yet again. Dimitri Payet was an influential figure in all of Hammers attack. He took two shots prior to his goals without any success.

Payet, who was last season’s best players for the Hammers, produced one of the great goals that the Hammers faithful will remember for ages.

Payet collected the ball on the touchline, before carrying the ball past 2 Middlesbrough defenders, Antonio Barragan and Marten de Roon.

He then took on three defenders, Calum Chambers, Ben Gibson and George Friend, in the penalty area before firing a right-footed shot in the bottom left corner wrong-footing goalkeeper Victor Valdez.

Payet’s goal, described by his manager Slaven Bilic as one which comes in comparison to Barcelona star Lionel Messi, did not gather them all three point but it did end their poor run of form.

Speaking after the game, West Ham manager Bilic said, “It was a brilliant individual goal that brought us back into the game. I don’t see many players scoring this kind of goals.”

The goal was special in all aspects, in displaying the individual brilliance of the French man and in displaying the spirit left in the Hammers rank. Payet’s goal made sure that the Hammers avoid a humiliating 5th defeat on the bounce.

Despite their efforts and Payet’s wonderful goal, West Ham stays at the bottom of the table. Next up for Hammers is a trip to the Selhurst Park to face Alan Pardew’s Crystal Palace.