Manchester United faced heartbreak in the Community Shield as they lost to Manchester City on penalties after a dramatic 89th-minute equalizer from Bernardo Silva. Despite an early lead, United couldn’t hold on, and missed penalties from Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans handed the victory to City.Erik ten Hag made some surprising tactical decisions, deploying Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo on the wings, with Sancho and Alejandro Garnacho coming off the bench. Facundo Pellistri even made an appearance at right-back, but one player was notably absent from the action: Antony.
The Brazilian winger, who joined United for a hefty £85 million from Ajax two years ago, was left on the bench for the entire match. This snub raises questions about Antony’s place in the squad, especially with Garnacho and Diallo emerging as preferred options for the right-wing position.
Antony has struggled to make a significant impact since his arrival, managing just 11 goals and 5 assists in 82 appearances. With competition heating up, Ten Hag’s decision to bench him could be a signal that the Brazilian needs to step up or risk falling further down the pecking order.
Antony must take this setback as motivation to improve in training if he hopes to regain his spot in the starting lineup. If he fails to do so, his future at Old Trafford could be in jeopardy.Antony’s exclusion from the Community Shield clash against Manchester City is indeed a significant development. Erik ten Hag’s decision to leave the Brazilian winger on the bench, while favoring younger players like Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho, indicates that Antony’s place in the squad is far from secure.
Since his high-profile transfer from Ajax for £85 million, Antony has struggled to consistently justify his price tag. With just 11 goals and 5 assists in 82 appearances, his impact has been underwhelming, especially given the expectations that accompanied his arrival. The fact that Jadon Sancho and Jonny Evans were entrusted with crucial penalties over Antony further emphasizes the reduced confidence in him.
Ten Hag’s tactical decisions during the match, such as starting Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo on the wings and using Facundo Pellistri as a right-back, highlight the manager’s willingness to experiment and potentially signal a shift in attacking options. Antony’s omission could be seen as a message from Ten Hag that improvement is necessary, or Antony risks being sidelined further as competition for the right-wing position intensifies.
For Antony, this situation could serve as a wake-up call. If he wants to regain his spot and secure his future at Manchester United, he will need to show significant improvement in both his performances and consistency. Otherwise, with emerging talents like Garnacho and Diallo gaining favor, Antony’s role at Old Trafford could diminish even further, potentially leading to questions about his long-term future at the club.
