Antony’s Underwhelming Debut Season in England

Antony Debut

The past season has been a mixed bag for the players of Manchester United. The performers expected to carry the team have been models of inconsistency throughout. Marcus Rashford has had one of his best campaigns so far but his form has dropped off as the season has come to its conclusion.

Goalkeeper David De Gea continually kept his team in matches but then had days to forget like the seven-nil reverse against Liverpool. While the less said about Harry Maguire’s season the better. Then there is the curious case of Antony. He has flattered to deceive in his first season in England so what does the future hold?

Champions League Qualification

With the eyes of the world’s fans upon them, Antony and his teammates have started to stutter in the final few weeks of the season. It looks like the pressure is beginning to tell and this is reflected in betting markets worldwide. For example, outright Zambian bet markets have Manchester United priced as 2/7 favourites to qualify. However, due to their poor form, markets for their rivals have shortened considerably, with Liverpool and Brighton priced at 2/1 and 8/1, respectively. United’s attack has been faltering and Antony is needed now more than ever to contribute goals and assists to secure Champions League qualification.

Period of Adjustment

The Brazilian came to England with a big price tag of £80 million and a weight of expectation. In his first season, it’s fair to say he hasn’t delivered. With four goals and only one assist, his manager would have expected more. However, five yellow cards hint at an aggression that if harnessed the correct way could make Antony a star in the coming years at Old Trafford.

Second Season Success?

As someone who has had to settle into a new country and learn a new language, fans will hope for more from Antony next season. Eric Ten Haag has worked with him at Ajax and is ostensibly the best man to improve the Brazilian’s performances. His statistics offer some reason for hope. In all competitions, he has scored eight goals and has impressed with tireless running in attacking and defensive areas.

Many of the issues surrounding Antony’s performances can be blamed on the team as a whole. The club has struggled with players falling in and out of form on a weekly basis. For the most part though, Antony has remained the first choice on the right-hand side. He hasn’t recaptured his Champions League form from a few years ago but with another pre-season under his belt, fans will hope his performances improve.

Antony is not the first, and will not be the last, signing to struggle in their first season on English shores. For example, Darwin Nunez has equally underperformed after being purchased for a similar price. Both have rarely lived up to their exorbitant price tags however with Antony, there have been signs of improvement. Unless he can add consistency as well as more assists to his game, it’s difficult to predict the trajectory of his Old Trafford career. All will be revealed over the next 12 months.

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