28 January 2023 , 21:50
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Casemiro showed he has firmly got Antony's back by pointing to his compatriot as the mastermind behind his goal as he celebrated Manchester United's opener against Reading.
The winger moved to Old Trafford in the summer from Ajax as he followed Erik ten Hag from Amsterdam. United shelled out a mammoth fee, which made Antony the second most expensive player in the club's history, but he's since failed to match expectations after scoring on his debut.
His flicks and tricks have seen him labelled a "YouTube player" by some critics, and he has been heavily criticised by Red Devils fans on social media in recent weeks. But the United camp are clearly behind the Brazilian. Casemiro showed plenty of class to score the first of his two goals at Old Trafford and then celebrated with his teammate.
Antony has been a regular under the Dutchman, often starting in the front three. However, he's failed to be overly productive in the final third, scoring on just three occasions.
Darren Bent said on TalkSPORT: "You clip all the best bits of a footballer and you look at it on YouTube and go 'Wow, I can't believe we’re signing him!' But where's the substance in between, where’s the end product? I know he started off alright at United, couple of good goals, but where's the end product?"
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Meanwhile Rio Ferdinand added on his FIVE YouTube show: "He just doesn't beat anyone and I'm sitting there thinking, 'Was that always the way?' I've seen clips of him when he was at Ajax and he was somebody who used to beat people. I saw [Thomas] Partey – who I wouldn't put down as like a roaster, a sprinter – absolutely burst past him, and I'm thinking, 'Woah, he [Antony] hasn't got much power in them legs!' So, yeah, he's a tricky winger, but tricky wingers – you want them to still be able to beat the defender."
Antony has been struggling for form in recent weeks (PA)Despite the criticism Ten Hag has highlighted how Antony has played his part in what is a winning side. United are firmly on the rise under the Dutchman, who has confessed that he wants more from his summer signing.
"When he’s playing, the team is winning. That already gives a message of how well he is performing," said the United boss earlier this week. "He can do better, I see space for improvement. For instance, and I think also you know this, we want him to be more direct and be more involved. But, as I said, the team is performing better if he is on the pitch.
"That’s a good thing, that’s a good base to build further. I think he has already made an improvement. In his first three [league] games, he scored three goals. Now he was scoring against Everton, he was scoring against Charlton, so also that fact, he has an impact. But I think with his capabilities, with his talents, he can do even more. But as I said, I think he has [made] a good contribution in the team."