Manchester United star should be ‘utterly embarrassed’ blasts pundit after derby defeat

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Manchester United are under fire from all angles after another home derby defeat.

Antony cut a miserable figure on the Manchester United substitute’s bench after being overlooked for a change with 20 minutes to go.

The winger was brought on eventually in the 86th minute and his only impact was a negative one.

• Touches: 1
• Dribbled past: 1
• Yellow cards: 1

Antony got himself embroiled in clash with City winger Jeremy Doku when he reacted petulantly towards the Belgian. It wasn’t a good look.

Antony criticised

Antony has endured a very difficult season, missing a month of action due to off field matters, yet either side of this break, his form has been poor.

There is now major scrutiny on the decision to spend more than £80 million on Antony, with Gary Neville describing it as a panic signing.

He has been trusted by Erik ten Hag to start regularly, but this patience ran out at the weekend as he was dropped to the bench, and only used in the dying minutes with United already 3-0 down.

Pundit Craig Burley laid into Antony on ESPN FC, commenting: “Antony comes on first thing he does he kicks blatantly Doku. Then he’s pouting around the field as if he’s the big cheese.

“This is a guy right that cost almost £100 million yet the manager sees fit to bring a youngster in Garnacho on ahead of him, rightly so.

“He should be embarrassed. He should be utterly embarrassed.”

It is typical how Manchester United transfer fees get rounded up by the media so frequently but Burley’s points stand.

Antony is providing more negatives than positives to Manchester United’s game at present, with no goals or assists this season so far.

Antony temperament

There may have been another reason why Erik ten Hag did not trust Antony to play a key role in the derby; his temperament.

Antony is hot-headed and his five minute cameo against City he quite easily could have ended up getting sent off.

There is pressure building on Antony on the pitch, in addition to his issues off it, and he needs to demonstrate he can stay calm, if he is to earn back the trust of his manager.