Siddharth Juyal
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag assures Antony return will not be a distraction
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag told the press conference (h/t Mirror) that the return of Antony will not distract the club from their goals.
United granted Antony a leave of absence with a salary to address the allegations made against him.
Despite his return, the 23-year-old will not train with the squad on Friday. Consequently, the Brazilian will be unavailable for the Premier League game against Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Ten Hag conveyed in the press conference (h/t Mirror) that the Red Devils maintain complete focus on the game. He said:
“We made the statement, so I refer to the statement. Everything has been made clear in the statement. No, I don’t think it’s a distraction. We will focus on the games. He will do as well.”
The Red Devils have been short in the wide attacking department after Jadon Sancho had a fallout with Ten Hag.
Antony’s return will ease up the pressure on Ten Hag as his team was running short on experienced options. The United boss used youngster Facundo Pellistri in big games like one against Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
The English giant released an official statement for Antony’s return with an emphasis on their stand against acts of violence and abuse. The statement said:
“Since allegations were first made in June, Antony has co-operated with police inquiries in both Brazil and the UK, and he continues to do so. As Antony’s employer, Manchester United has decided that he will resume training at Carrington, and be available for selection, while police inquiries proceed. This will be kept under review pending further developments in the case.”
United bought Antony from Eredivisie giant Ajax for £85m in the 2022 summer transfer window. The Brazilian has not lived up to the price tag yet but holds a very high ceiling in potential.
The 23-year-old has appeared in 48 games for the Red Devils, contributing eight goals and 3 assists in all competitions.
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Ten Hag has maintained that the off-field controversy will not act as a distraction for the team as they move forward. The Red Devils have registered two wins in a row after a poor start to the season. We think that Antony’s return to Carrington will boost the Red Devils’ campaign going forward.
