Author: Chandra Moulee Das
Manchester United winger Antony, who has performed inconsistently since his arrival at Old Trafford, scored his first goal in 15 Premier League games against Nottingham Forest in his last match.
The Brazilian scored in his first three Premier League games, but then needed another 15 games to score again. The 23-year-old left Ajax for £86 million last summer and now has nine goals in all competitions.
Antony scored the elusive goal in the 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest on Sunday, playing a crucial role in securing the victory. After scoring the first goal, he also helped Diogo Dalot score the second, moving Erik Ten Hag’s men up to third place in the Premier League with a comfortable six-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham.
After witnessing Antony’s impressive performance at the City Ground, former United defender Gary Neville expressed his belief that the 23-year-old has the potential to excel. However, Neville also advised Antony to work on refining his decision-making skills and increasing the consistency of his play in order to reach his full potential.
“He seems frustrating at times, but with someone like him, you just have to stick with it.”
Ten Hag expressed his satisfaction with Antony’s impact during the game against Forest. However, he acknowledged that the winger’s performance was not promising and advised him to improve his decision-making in the final third.
Antony’s previous Premier League goals against Arsenal and Everton were impressive left-footed strikes from inside the area, while his goal against Manchester City was a well-placed shot from the edge of the box. Although his goal against Forest was a finish after Keylor Navas had saved Anthony Martial’s shot, former United captain Roy Keane applauded Antony’s ability to be in the right position to take advantage of the opportunity.