Erik ten Hag is refusing to give up on Antony with the much-maligned Manchester United winger still a footballer who can be ‘unstoppable’ when on top form for the Premier League giants.
That, however, is not really the first word than comes to mind when watching Antony stumble and stutter his way through games these days.
Even against Newport County in the FA Cup – a game in which he both scored and grabbed an assist – the £82 million Brazil international looked like a man going through the motions, the swagger and the confidence which characterised that promising debut season at Old Trafford dissipating with every misplaced pass and every failed take-on.
According to reports, Antony is one of a number of high-profile, high-earning players Ineos may look to cash in on during a summer of substantial change in Manchester.
Ten Hag is not yet ready to give up on a man he brought to England from Ajax, however. It’s telling, however, that even Antony’s biggest fan dropped him to the bench for six league games since December’s disasterclass away to Wednesday’s FA Cup opponents Nottingham Forest.
Antony backed to save his Manchester United career
“I backed him for a long time,” Ten Hag tells the Manchester Evening News. “I know his abilities and he has great abilities. When he plays like I know from the past, he is unstoppable. No defender can stop him because he’s one of the quickest players in the first 10 yards.
“When he plays that game, he will perform. I’m sure he will do for the future.
“I’m sure he is resilient, he is a character and he will fight back. And I back him. He now has to wait for his chance and, once he is there, he has to pick up.”
Only one goal and one assist all season
It remains to be seen if Antony will be reintroduced at the City Ground, with a quarter-final place on the line. The absence of Rasmus Hojlund could potentially open the door for the 24-year-old, nearly 12 months to the day since the pinnacle of his Manchester United career; Antony scoring a brilliant winner late on to knock Barcelona out of Europe.
The winger has only scored or assisted five goals in all competitions since then.
Reports linking United with a number of right-sided attackers – Michael Olise, Johan Bakayoko and Pedro Neto to name but three – only add to the feeling that Antony, like many others at Old Trafford, is fighting for his future.
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