Antony: Any hope for the Brazilian in United?

Antony Matheus dos Santos since joining Manchester United in the 2022 summer for £85 million, has struggled to justify his huge price tag. The Brazilian winger, once heralded as one of Europe’s brightest young talents under Erik ten Hag at Ajax, has failed to replicate that form at Old Trafford. Despite flashes of brilliance, such as his occasional moments of skill and decisive goals in European fixtures, Antony has been widely criticized for his inconsistency, lack of creativity, and inability to produce positive outcomes in critical matches.

Key Challenges Antony Has Faced

It will look inappropriate to begin with determining Antony’s future in United without first acknowledging the key challenges that have affected his performance on the pitch as well as the confidence in managers to give him more playing time.

Across two seasons, Antony has contributed just 12 goals and some assists, a disappointing return for an attacker of his price. Comparatively, teammates like Amad Diallo and Bruno Fernandes have been far more influential, leading to questions about his adaptability in the Premier League.

Under Erik ten Hag, Antony was often deployed as an inverted winger on the right, cutting inside onto his stronger left foot. While this role worked at Ajax, it proved predictable in the Premier League, with defenders quickly adapting to his style. His lack of a strong right foot and limited crossing ability further hindered his effectiveness in a league known for physicality and tactical diversity.

Moreover, Antony’s personal life has also played a role in his decline. Allegations of domestic violence and subsequent investigations disrupted his focus, with Antony admitting the impact on his mental health. Such distractions likely contributed to his underwhelming performances.

Furthermore, injuries, match unfitness and the rise of other younger wingers like Alejandro Garnacho and Diallo have reduced Antony’s game time, to being sidelined or even benched, he was rumored to be on the transfer list before the arrival of Ruben Amorim.

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Amorim’s Arrival: A New Opportunity

Ruben Amorim’s appointment as Manchester United manager offers Antony a clean slate. Known for his innovative tactics and player development at Sporting CP, Amorim emphasizes high-intensity pressing, positional flexibility, swift counter attacking change and team unity. His preferred 3-4-3 or more specifically a 3-5-2 system could potentially reignite Antony’s career.

In Amorim’s fluid systems, Antony may have more freedom to roam and take on defenders. Amorim’s use of wide players as dynamic outlets rather than static wingers could help Antony maximize his pace and dribbling.

Amorim’s reputation for nurturing young players, such as Pedro Gonçalves and Viktor Gyökeres at Sporting CP, could help Antony regain his confidence. A manager willing to offer trust and guidance might be exactly what Antony needs to reignite his career.

What Antony Must Do to Succeed

Regardless of the situation that Antony faces in United, it is not enough to abandon his talent totally as there could still be some moments of improvement and helping the team succeed. Hence, Antony must work on his decision-making in the final third, including shot accuracy and passing ability.

The Premier League demands pace, strength, and endurance. Antony will need to improve his physicality to compete with defenders in one-on-one situations. Amorim is known for demanding high work rates from his players. Antony will need to consistently deliver not only in attacking contributions but also in defensive duties, tracking back and pressing opponents.

Is There Hope for Antony?

Finally, to set an answer for the question “is there hope that he could get back to form” and dominate the league as other wingers do in their respective clubs.

Despite the setbacks, Antony’s talent is impressive and undeniable. His ability to beat defenders, moments of skill, indicate there are still potentials in him to unlock. Amorim’s arrival provides a tactical reset and a chance for Antony to rebuild his Manchester United career.

However, the margin for error is slim. With growing fans impatience and the club’s ambitions to rebuild under Amorim, Antony has no choice but to begin delivering immediate impacts to avoid being deemed a costly mistake.

The rest of the 2024/25 campaign will be crucial in determining whether he can transform himself into a key player for Manchester United or fade into becoming insignificant as a high-profile flop. Well!!! the stage is set; now it is up to Antony to deliver and make the most of his talent while in Manchester United.