Man Utd flop Antony shares pointed message after being snubbed again by Erik ten Hag

Antony (Image: Zohaib Alam - MUFC/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Manchester United's Antony has taken to social media with a cryptic message, following limited playtime under Erik ten Hag this season.

The Brazilian winger was notably absent from the squad in Manchester United's recent 2-1 triumph against Brentford on Saturday and has only entered the fray from the bench twice this term. His brief spells on the pitch were during the loss to Brighton and the draw with Aston Villa.

Having been personally recommended by Erik ten Hag, Antony's move to United came with a hefty £85million price tag paid to Ajax. Nevertheless, his contributions have fallen short of justifying that outlay, as he continues to struggle to meet the lofty expectations set for him.

Despite the challenges, Ten Hag has remained steadfast in his support for the player, confident in his abilities to bounce back. "I know he is capable it [of playing like he did vs Chelsea]," Ten Hag affirmed in an interview with MUTV.

"I've seen it so often when I was manager at Ajax but we haven't since this [at United].

Antony (Image: Instagram (@Antony00))

He added: "Maybe in the start, we have seen glimpses in the first three games where he scored three goals. But after that, incidentally, like against Barcelona last season where he scored the winning goal but he's capable of it."

Bearing witness to United's comeback win over Brentford from the sidelines, with Alejandro Garnacho and Rasmus Hojlund providing the goals, Antony did not participate in the match yet made a statement off the field. He posted a thought-provoking quote in Portuguese on his Instagram stories, which translates to: "As long as God is my ground, there is nobody who can knock me down," accompanied by a prayer emoji.

const loadOvpScript=()=>{let el=document.createElement('script');el.setAttribute('src','https://live.primis.tech/live/liveView.php?s=114291&vp_content=plembed3e7arguyxmsj&cbuster=%%CACHEBUSTER%%&playerApiId=v114291');document.getElementById('ovp-primis').appendChild(el)};window.top.addEventListener('primisPlayerInit',e=>{try{if(e.detail&&e.detail.playerApiId==="v114291"){if(window.document.getElementsByClassName('jwplayer')[0]){e.detail.float('disable')}}}catch(e){}});window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded',()=>{setTimeout(()=>{if(typeof flagTcfLoaded!=='undefined'&&flagTcfLoaded===!0){loadOvpScript();ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP flagTcfLoaded',new Date())}else{document.addEventListener("tcfLoaded",()=>{loadOvpScript();ExpressApp.Log('[Load] OVP tcfLoaded',new Date())})}},1500)})

A mysterious message could hint at frustrations over limited playtime, yet Ten Hag still has high hopes for Antony's integration into the squad.

Trending window.topArticlesScript="https://cdn.images.express.co.uk/js/dist/article-top-articles20241015.min.js" SUBSCRIBE Invalid email

We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our Privacy Policy

He commented: "He is fighting for his position. That's what we expect from every player in the squad at Manchester United, what they should do. The other players are doing so well, we have Amad, Garna very effective."

Man Utd flop Antony shares pointed message after being snubbed again by Erik ten Hag

Man Utd flop Antony shares pointed message after being snubbed again by Erik ten Hag

Man Utd flop Antony shares pointed message after being snubbed again by Erik ten Hag

Man Utd flop Antony shares pointed message after being snubbed again by Erik ten Hag

Man Utd flop Antony shares pointed message after being snubbed again by Erik ten Hag