Erik ten Hag, the manager of Manchester United, has expressed his desire to see more from Antony, the club’s £82million summer signing. The Brazilian winger joined Ten Hag in moving from Ajax to Old Trafford last summer, alongside £60m Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez. However, Antony has yet to make the same impact as his fellow South American, having featured in 33 out of a possible 49 games and managing seven goals and one assist. This puts the 23-year-old on par with youngster Alejandro Garnacho in terms of goal contributions, while six other United players have more, including defensive midfielders Casemiro and Fred.
Ten Hag was asked about Antony’s perceived lack of production before the Europa League match against Sevilla, and he admitted that there is room for improvement. “Of course, we expect front-line players to be a threat but also have an effect in the final third,” the Dutchman said. “He has to work on that. He’s a young player. He’s scored in big games and if you can do it in such games, you can do it in Premier League games. We have to win games together, and that is my experience with him. He’s a fighter and he likes a challenge.”
Among those who have criticised Antony is talkSPORT host and Aston Villa legend Gabby Agbonlahor, who is unhappy with the Brazilian’s gameplan. “When I watch Antony, I look at his stats for starters. He’s played 16 Premier League games, three goals, and zero assists,” he said. “He’s got zero assists because of the way he plays. I’ve watched him all season, I watched him last night against Brentford and he gets the ball and knows he can’t beat the full-back on the outside, so he pretends to go on the outside, goes inside and gives it away.”
Agbonlahor went on to say that if he were a striker in the team, he would be frustrated. “Antony gets it and does his little tricks. Yesterday, there was one incident where he took himself on – he didn’t take the defender on, he took himself on! He takes the ball, does a little shimmy, and the defender is just stood there, like ‘go on then, take me on’.”
Despite the criticism, Ten Hag remains optimistic about Antony’s potential. He believes that the young player can be a threat in big games and that he has the ability to kill opponents. However, he acknowledges that there is still work to be done in terms of improving his performance in the final third.
Antony’s lack of production is particularly concerning given his high price tag. Manchester United paid a significant amount of money for him, and they will be expecting a return on their investment. If Antony is unable to improve his performance, it could lead to questions about his future at the club. However, Ten Hag’s comments suggest that he is willing to give the player time to develop and improve.
Overall, it remains to be seen whether Antony can live up to his potential and justify his price tag. While he has shown flashes of brilliance, he has yet to consistently produce at the highest level. If he can improve his performance in the final third and become a more consistent threat, he could become a valuable asset for Manchester United. However, if he continues to struggle, it could be a costly mistake for the club.