5 Man Utd’s Option To Replace Antony 

5 Man Utd’s Option To Replace Antony
The concerning allegations against the Brazilian have shaken Erik ten Hag’s team, but the manager has a plethora of options in the winger’s absence.

The last thing Manchester United needed was further assault claims against Antony after another poor start to the Premier League season, which was exacerbated by an injury problem and harm to the club’s reputation due to their handling of the Mason Greenwood case.

READ ALSO: Top 20 Man United Goal Scorers Of All-Time

The most recent charges against the Brazilian winger, which he denies, upset United supporters and the football world, prompting additional criticism of the club’s handling of serious allegations against its players.

The controversy has had a direct influence on the team as well because United has opted to give Antony a leave of absence while he deals with the claims, leaving Erik ten Hag without a player who he urged the team to sign for £85 million ($106 million) less than a year ago.

Despite the fact that Antony has yet to score or assist this year, Ten Hag values him highly for his defensive work and the fact that he has started all four of United’s Premier League games. The other members of Ten Hag’s squad, however, have a great opportunity as a result of his absence to fill the void in the starting XI and show their quality.

THEEAGLE evaluates the manager’s options ahead of a critical stretch of games, including Saturday’s Premier League meeting against Brighton and Wednesday’s Champions League opener against Bayern Munich…

Start Alejandro Garnacho

Many supporters would prefer Garnacho to replace Antony since the Argentine has captivated their attention ever since he led United’s under-18 team to the FA Youth Cup in 2022 and then made an incredible breakthrough last season.

In fact, he managed to score five goals and provide five assists throughout all competitions from just a few starts and substitute appearances, compared to Antony’s eight goals and three assists despite starting nearly every game.

The issue is that Garnacho performs far better on the bench than he does as a starter. Eight of his ten goal contributions occurred during games in which he was a substitute. See how he scored against Arsenal in United’s most recent match, which was ultimately disallowed for offside, less than four minutes after entering the game.

Compare that to his starts against Wolves and Tottenham, where he only managed one shot on goal and had trouble coordinating with his teammates. He was a liability defensively as well, failing to assist Casemiro in the centre and failing to support Luke Shaw down the left wing.

There is also the fact that Garnacho usually plays off the left wing rather than the right, which Antony has vacated. However, given that Marcus Rashford will likely be occupying that role for many years to come, this could be a great opportunity for the teenager to lock down a starting berth in the team.

Push Bruno Fernandes out to the right wing 

Ten Hag’s most obvious choice—and possibly the most likely result—is to play Bruno Fernandes on the right, as he has done on prior times when Antony has been absent. The Dutchman demonstrated this in the league games against City, Aston Villa, and Leicester last season, all of which United ultimately won, as well as the FA Cup final against Manchester City, which United lost 2-1.

The only issue is that by doing this, Fernandes, who is undoubtedly United’s most important player, may be forced too far from the action, which will limit his ability to affect the team’s performance. It also does not play to the captain’s strengths because he is more suited to playing as a No. 10 or a No. 8 and lacks the speed of most wide players.

The last thing the coach will want to do is clip the wings of his talisman, who led United to victory in their most recent home game against Nottingham Forest while playing as a No. 10, despite having demonstrated his willingness to play in any role where he is needed.

Fernandes also put on a commanding display for Portugal against Luxembourg in the No. 8 position on the right of a three-man midfield, delivering three assists to the 9-0 thrashing.

When Sofyan Amrabat joins the club, the team should be less vulnerable in the middle if Fernandes is had to step in and take Antony’s place, but it is obvious that this is not a long-term answer to what may very well be a long-term issue.

Give Jadon Sancho a second chance

Less than a day after Sancho caused a rift with Ten Hag following the Arsenal game and caused United yet another difficulty, the report that shed additional light on the accusations against Antony surfaced.

After accusing Ten Hag of using him as a scapegoat in a unwise social media post, Sancho’s days at the club were limited. Just before the Saudi Pro League transfer window closed, he was on the verge of joining Steven Gerrard’s Al-Ettifaq. However, Sancho is in an excellent position to move past his disagreement with Ten Hag thanks to Antony’s leave of absence, which frees up a space in the starting XI for him.

While Sancho has not gone close to live up to his £74 million ($92 million) transfer fee since leaving Borussia Dortmund in 2021, he has had his moments. He can play his way back into the team if he can buckle down and put in the effort, leaving his history of slack timekeeping in the past.

The key question is whether Ten Hag will have any sympathy for the winger after he embarrassed him by responding to him in a public setting. Sancho has been guilty of underperforming and challenging the Dutchman’s authority, two offences for which the Dutchman is infamously merciless.

Switch Marcus Rashford to the right

Another choice for Ten Hag is the standout forward for United. There is no solid reason why Rashford could not swap to the right even though he typically plays off the left and has claimed that he enjoys playing as a wide forward to a center-forward.

Rashford is right-footed, and his slalom run goal against Burnley from last season was scored from the right wing. The English forward is also well-versed in attacking from the right side of the pitch.

Rashford’s blistering pace and quick feet make him more of a natural winger than the likes of Fernandes and Mount and he could easily switch wings with Garnacho or Sancho during matches in a bid to confuse opposing defences.

Play Mason Mount out wide

While Antony is still unavailable, Ten Hag has Mason Mount as a backup plan. The former Chelsea midfielder was injured and was unable to play against Nottingham Forest or Arsenal, but he is expected to return later this month. And after a lacklustre start to his United career after his £60 million ($74 million) move, he has a lot to show.

His performance against Wolves was especially dismal, as he failed to make any chances, crosses, tackles, or wins any duels. Ten Hag advocated for Mount’s signing by United in the summer and has lauded his adaptability. The right moment to use it might be right now.

Although Mount prefers to play as a No. 8, he has plenty of experience in wide positions and has turned in some of his greatest Chelsea performances while lining up on the right side of Thomas Tuchel’s attack, albeit in a 3-4-2-1 formation.

The loss of Antony’s defensive efforts would be lessened by Mount, whose famed off-the-ball effort and pressing prowess mean he would not leave United as exposed as Garnacho or Pellistri. While the Brazilian’s absence is unfortunate for United, it may also be Mount’s chance to shine.