Antony has a better goals per minute rate than many of the Premier League’s best wingers

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Manchester United star Antony arrived at the club with a big fee to justify, and the media have been keen to turn the spotlight on him.

A feature from ESPN claimed Antony was ‘dividing fans’ with his performances, but it has been pundits who have been keener to jump on his back.

Paul Scholes and Robbie Savage slaughtered him back in late October after a 360 spin skill, expressing a dislike for his showboating.

The winger even bounced back from a car crash this past week, to score two successive goals, and amid all the furore, he is having a pretty productive debut season.

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Antony’s record at Manchester United so far

Brazil winger Antony now has five goals for Manchester United in 15 appearances for the club so far since his transfer deadline day move from Ajax.

He is United’s joint second-leading goalscorer behind Marcus Rashford (15), level with Anthony Martial, and you would not bet against him reaching double figures.

Antony is averaging a goal every 232 minutes of football played this season in all competitions, numbers which compare favourably with some of the Premier League’s top wingers.

• Antony: Goal every 232 minutes
• Luis Diaz: Goal every 243 minutes
• Bukayo Saka: Goal every 252 minutes
• Raheem Sterling: Goal every 268 minutes
• Heung Min-Son: Goal every 308 minutes
• Jack Grealish: Goal every 651 minutes

While all of these players have performed against different opponents, and no comparison is ‘like for like’, Antony is right in the mix in good company and holding his own.

He certainly does not deserve criticism for his opening few months at the club, even though probably by his own admission, he can still improve.

Antony showed some recent rustiness in front of goal after the restart, missing an easy chance against Nottingham Forest, and until last week, was on a goal drought since the last Manchester derby.

This was to be expected after his record of three goals in his opening three games, which could never have been maintained, but looking across the season as a whole, Antony is doing very well, and there is a lot more to come.