Dimitar Berbatov advises Manchester United forward Antony to tone down trickery
Manchester United icon Dimitar Berbatov has advised Antony to tone down his trickery to a certain extent in order to gain the respect of opposition players.
The Brazil international signed for the Red Devils in the summer of 2022 from Ajax. Since then, the 23-year-old has been a key player for Erik ten Hag at the Old Trafford side.
Antony made a fast start to life at United. In the 31- win over Arsenal, the gaffer handed the forward his debut, where he scored. The right winger found the back of the net in each of his first three Premier League appearances.
However, since then, the Brazilian has been a bit inconsistent. He has struggled to make an impact in some of the matches. While the 23-year-old is a flair player, at times this season, it has let him down.
But still, Antony has scored some important goals for the Red Devils. In 30 appearances in all competitions for the Old Trafford side, the Brazilian has scored seven times and has provided one assist.
Speaking to Betfred (h/t Manchester Evening News), Berbatov, who spent four years at United, feels the 23-year-old takes things a bit too far at times. The ex-Red Devil believes the winger is at risk of being on the receiving end of some crunching challenges if he continues to do the same.
“Sometimes his trickery provides nothing for the team and if he can eradicate these negative elements of his game then it will greatly improve his impact on the team.
“However, if you mock your opponent then they’re going to kick the s*** out of you and you’re not going to have the respect of the players you’re playing against.”
It is true that Antony can be wasteful at times. However, it is the forward’s decision-making that has let him down in the final third.
Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho have had a considerable impact when they have featured. They have been more direct and look to beat their man with speed and agility.
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Over the years, the likes of Ronaldinho and Neymar have enamoured fans with their skills. Therefore, instead of asking the Brazilian to stop performing tricks on the pitch, he should be advised to make better choices.
