Manchester United striker Antony has slammed the club’s former players for not offering “constructive” criticism or asking if he is OK.
Antony, who made an £82 million move from Ajax to Manchester United in September 2022, is currently under investigation for a series of domestic abuse allegations. Amid these off-field issues and lack of consistency on the pitch, the Brazilian striker has not lived up to expectations and the price the Red Devils paid to sign him.
The Brazilian international, who played under Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag for Ajax, is yet to score or assist a goal in the 2023-24 campaign.
Gary Neville calls Antony “embarrassing”
Former Manchester United captain Gary Neville has criticised Antony on several occasions during Sky Sports broadcasts.
Neville called the 23-year-old playmaker “embarrassing” for supposedly kicking Manchester City’s Jeremy Doku in the latter stages of October’s Manchester derby defeat in the Premier League at Old Trafford.
Antony slams ex-Man Utd players
In a written interview with the YouTube channel The United Stand, Antony said the criticism he has received from the club’s former players is unfair.
“Today, I see criticism coming from former club players and other people in the media, who unreasonably express their opinions and influence thousands of fans, sometimes even when I do not play.
“But I’ve never seen them give constructive criticism, which will help me be a better professional,” said Antony.
Although the domestic abuse accusations were not directly discussed in the interview, Antony referred to it as “a period of turbulence” in his life. Earlier this year, he was dropped from Brazil’s squad due to the police investigation and was also forced to take leave by Manchester United.
Further slamming the former players of Manchester United, Antony said “none of them have ever sent me a message to see how I am feeling, especially during this period of turbulence that I am going through”.
Calling social media “the digital court”, Antony said that it is “ruining lives; contexts are left aside, and the truth no longer matters”.
Antony vows to return to his best soon
Ten Hag replaced Marcus Rashford with Antony in the final 30 minutes on Saturday during their 1-0 loss at Newcastle United.
Speaking about reviving his footballing career, Antony said he is currently rebuilding himself and he is confident about returning to his “best physical and mental shape”.
“No one has ever given me anything, I have always fought hard for everything I achieved. I would like to know how these people who make these unfair and malicious criticisms fared in my place,” added Antony.
The United Stand – Playing for a club like Manchester United brings its pressures and expectations. How do you deal with pressure, and what advice would you give young players aspiring to reach the highest levels of the sport?
🗣 Antony: “Pressure has always been with us for… pic.twitter.com/jwc7mztcnx
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) December 6, 2023
Manchester United and manager Ten Hag are under immense pressure having lost 10 out of 21 games in all competitions this season. But Ten Hag has dismissed talks about a crisis at the club.
Ten Hag included Antony in the Red Devils’ starting XI in their 2-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday. Antony started alongside Rasmus Hojlund and Alejandro Garnacho, with Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial dropped to the bench.
Erik ten Hag praises Antony
After the match, the Dutch boss singled out Antony with praise, saying the Brazilian striker is “stepping up” after his difficult start to the season.
“I agree, I think he’s progressing. This is the attitude and what he needs. It’s what he has to contribute to the team. He was very bright, he got very good positions on the ball, he also makes very good decisions, he is stepping up and he has to build on this,” Ten Hag told reporters at the post-match conference.
Having won four out of their last five outings in the Premier League, Manchester United are in sixth place in the table with 27 points. But they have played a game more than Newcastle. A win for the Magpies in their league fixture against Everton on Wednesday would see the Red Devils drop to seventh place.
Manchester United’s next game is on Saturday when they host Bournemouth at Old Trafford in the Premier League.
