‘Simply weak’ and ‘invisible’: Utd man told he’s not even Premier League-level after bleak Spurs cameo

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·20 dicembre 2024

‘Simply weak’ and ‘invisible’: Utd man told he’s not even Premier League-level after bleak Spurs cameo

The Carabao Cup often provided Manchester United’s fringe players a chance to move up in the manager’s estimations. Now that the club have been knocked out, numerous Reds will see their minutes slashed substantially.

Take Christian Eriksen, for example. Last night, he made his first appearance since Ruben Amorim’s maiden game in the dugout away to Ipswich Town, meaning he went four weeks without stepping on the pitch at all.

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Yet, he returned to the fold last night to line up against some familiar faces in the form of his ex-Tottenham Hotspur teammates.

The Dane only lasted 55 minutes before he was hooked, with Amorim opting to make a triple-substitution just moments after Spurs netted their third of the tie. Eriksen, Rasmus Hojlund and Antony all departed, with the latter overseeing a particularly empty display.

Antony is not even Premier League-level, claims Ron Vlaar

(Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Antony has become something of an outcast this season. After Erik ten Hag, who worked with him at Ajax and pushed for the board to bring him to Old Trafford, gave up on him, it became clear that the £86 million man’s tenure had drastically failed.

He is now nothing more than a squad player, despite Amorim singling him out for praise in recent weeks. The Brazilian is yet to start a Premier League game since 2024/2025 got underway and he has been given the nod only once in the Europa League.

What bodes worse for Antony is that when he was substituted for Amad Diallo, his replacement went on to change the entire game with his unrelenting attacking prowess.

Amad, who was initially rested following his emphatic derby-day heroics, scored and assisted in the 35 minutes he played. According to StatmanDave, the 22-year-old is now averaging a goal or assist every 80 minutes under Amorim; Mohamed Salah averaged a goal or assist every 93 minutes under Jurgen Klopp.

When Antony’s counterpart is as trustworthy as he is, why would the boss ever promote the struggling 24-year-old to a starting role?

Reacting to the quarter-final’s affairs, Frank de Boer said of Antony (via FC Update): “I have the feeling that I haven’t seen him pass an opponent for a year and a half. I just can’t remember anything.

“Antony has often been invisible. In the duels, he was simply weak, and he does not come into his strength at all.”

Ron Vlaar chimed in: “If you think you have all the time to play football quietly here, then you are wrong. The defence… he will be run over in no time. That is just very mediocre.

“When I look at it that way, I don’t think he is a Premier League player. If you can play again, and the coach is quite positive about you, then this is really a missed opportunity for him.”