Erik Ten Hag has recently commented on Antony’s growing frustration over his lack of playing time at Manchester United this season. The Brazilian winger has only made one appearance so far, coming on as a substitute in the 89th minute during United’s match against Brighton on August 25.
Despite expectations that Antony would feature in United’s 3-0 win over Southampton, he was overlooked when Matthijs De Ligt had to leave the field with cramps, and Casemiro was brought on instead.
Last season, Antony played in 21 of United’s 52 matches, but he has yet to start in any of their five pre-season games this year. While Antony has been struggling to secure playing time, other wingers like Amad Diallo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Marcus Rashford have all made notable contributions this season.
Ten Hag admitted that he couldn’t promise Antony a starting role in their upcoming League Cup third-round match against Barnsley, a League One side.
Antony joined Manchester United as their second most expensive signing after Paul Pogba, with the club paying an initial fee of £81.3 million to bring him over from Ajax during the 2022 transfer window.
However, despite the high expectations surrounding his arrival, Antony has only managed to score 11 goals in 83 appearances for United so far, leaving many questioning his impact on the team.
In contrast, young talents like Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo have been making waves at the club. Garnacho, signed from Atletico Madrid in 2020, has shown great promise, while Amad, who arrived from Atalanta for an initial fee of £19 million, has also been developing into a valuable player.
Their progress has put added pressure on Antony to prove himself, as these younger wingers have been contributing effectively to the team’s success.
When asked if Antony is struggling to compete with younger players like Garnacho and Amad, Ten Hag acknowledged that it’s simply the nature of professional football. “This is high-level football,” he stated, emphasizing that competition for starting spots is fierce, and only those who perform the best will make it into the starting lineup.
He explained that choosing the best team for each game requires selecting players who have the best chemistry and dynamics on the field, and currently, other wingers are outperforming Antony.
Ten Hag further highlighted that the impressive performances of Garnacho, Amad, and Rashford have contributed to Antony’s reduced role. “The other players are doing very well, they’re making contributions,” he noted. “Amad, Garnacho – extremely effective. Rashford scored over the weekend.” With such strong competition, Antony needs to prove himself in training to reclaim his spot on the team.
Despite Antony’s evident frustration and impatience to get more playing time, Ten Hag believes that the Brazilian winger has the potential to fight his way back into the team. “Now it’s Antony’s turn to come back, and he has the ability to do so. When he makes the right choices, he can compete with them,” said Ten Hag, expressing confidence in Antony’s ability to rise to the challenge.
However, for now, Antony must overcome the stiff competition from his teammates and earn his place back on the field.
The message from Ten Hag is clear: while Antony may be impatient and eager to play, the current performances of his competitors mean that he must fight harder for his position and prove his worth in training sessions. Only by doing so can he hope to regain a more prominent role within the squad.