Erik ten Hag admits Antony ‘HASN’T shown big potential’ at Man United and warns the £85m Brazilian he has to ‘prove a point’ with youngsters Amad Diallo and Omari Forson in contention
- Antony cost £85million but he has failed to live up to his expectations at United so far
- Garnacho is in good form, Diallo returns from injury and Forson is doing ‘well’
- While Pep Guardiola is at Manchester City, it will be difficult for anyone to unseat them. Listen to the It’s All Kicking Off podcast
Erik ten Hag has delivered a brutally honest assessment of Antony’s time at Manchester United and warned he could slip further down the pecking order.
United signed Antony for £85 million in the summer of 2022, but this season has been a particular disaster as he has scored and assisted just once in 25 games.
Alejandro Garnacho has made the right wing position his own and Ten Hag warned that youngsters Amad Diallo and Omari Forson could rise above Antony in his thinking.
“He has a point to prove, and he will. And he has great potential. He hasn’t shown it lately, but I know what his talent is, and it’s about proving his talent, and it’s about him,” Ten Hag said ahead of the Premier League match against Fulham.
“And yeah, he’ll probably get his chances, right? But yeah, I think that was always the idea.
Erik ten Hag has warned Antony that he has ‘not shown great potential’ and that others could rise above him in the pecking order
Ten Hag supported Antony to get out of his slump, but argued that he has a ‘point to prove’
‘You have competition and now he has to show himself on the training field, but also others because we have opportunities there.
‘Now (Amad) Diallo is returning from injury, he is doing well in training. Omari Forson is doing well. So we have options to fill those positions. And it is not certain that Marcus Rashford should play as a striker.’
These are ominous words for Antony and pose a clear threat to his status in the squad.
Having been a regular last season, he started this season in the same way, but has been dropped to the bench and has not started a league game since December.
His only concrete contribution to a score came against League Two side Newport County in the FA Cup, when he scored and assisted. He has not done this in any other match this campaign.
Erik ten Hag has insisted that Manchester United’s academy can save them money in the long term after their squad was the most expensive in the world last season at £1.21 billion, even before the signings of Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana and Mason Mount.
‘Man United will always be a buying club, but I think history proves that it offers opportunities from the youth academy if a player earns them. It is in our DNA,” says Ten Hag.
“We guide them and if you give them opportunities, they progress so quickly and take the team to the next level. I think we have others who can make the big steps that Kobbie and Garnacho have made in recent months.”
Now that Amad Diallo is fit again after an injury, Antony’s position looks even more dangerous
Academy product Omari Forson hopes to make a splash in the first team, like Kobbie Mainoo has done
Antony has not scored or assisted in the competition this season. He only did that against Newport County in the FA Cup
Kobbie Mainoo has effectively removed the need to sign another midfielder and if a player like Omari Forson comes into the fold it would be a huge boost for United.
Although Diallo is not a youth product, he could also threaten the winger further. Diallo has missed most of the season due to a knee injury and fitness issues, but is now returning to the fold.
United are doing well in the Champions League and have won four league games in a row.
With 44 points they are in sixth place, five points behind fourth-placed Aston Villa and three points behind fifth-placed Tottenham.
