Chris Sutton, a former Chelsea striker, has made it clear that he is not a fan of Manchester United’s Antony and has used Bukayo Saka as a benchmark to compare the two players. The two stars have had very different seasons so far, with Antony struggling to adapt to life in the English top flight after joining from Ajax in an £86million summer transfer. Meanwhile, Saka has been one of the standout players for Arsenal, helping to guide the Gunners towards the Premier League title.
Sutton believes that Saka is the best right winger in the league and that Antony cannot be named in the same bracket. In an article for Mail Plus, he wrote: “Saka is winning the battle on the right. [Mohamed] Salah has not been the same footballing force for Liverpool this season. [Riyad] Mahrez is incredibly talented for Manchester City but I would rank Saka ahead of him. And I won’t be taking any suggestions of Antony seriously – the United man probably has Saka posters hanging on his bedroom wall!”
Antony has scored just seven goals for United so far this season, with three of them coming in the Premier League. The Brazilian is a consistent starter under Erik ten Hag, but his output is far less than many would have expected. Saka, on the other hand, is enjoying his best season to date as he sits on 13 goals for the season. He has also provided ten assists for his teammates throughout the campaign, proving to be one of Arsenal’s most important players.
England have also benefited from Saka’s qualities, with the 21-year-old scoring a superb goal in their 2-0 Euro 2024 qualifying win against Ukraine. The youngster could become a Premier League winner in the coming weeks, with Arsenal sitting eight points clear at the top.
In conclusion, Sutton’s comparison between Antony and Saka is a brutal one, but it is clear that the latter is having a much better season than the former. Saka’s performances have been crucial in Arsenal’s title challenge, and he has established himself as one of the best right wingers in the league. Antony, on the other hand, has struggled to adapt to life in the Premier League, and his output has been far less than many would have expected.