Man Utd: Antony must earn right to play – Erik ten Hag

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says Brazil winger Antony has to “earn the right” to play for the club.

An £82m signing from Ajax in 2022, Antony is the second-most expensive player in United’s history behind Paul Pogba.

But he scored just five goals and three assists in 55 Premier League appearances, and last season contributed a single goal and one assist as United finished eighth.

The 24-year-old has only had a single minute of competitive action this season, at Brighton last month, as Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho and Amad Diallo have been chosen ahead of him.

Antony will hope to have more involvement in Tuesday’s Carabao Cup third-round tie with Barnsley, but Ten Hag says the player is in charge of his own destiny.

“He’s impatient,” said the United manager. “He wants to play.

“But in top football there are laws. You pick the team that has most chance to win the game, the one with the best dynamic, the best chemistry. Players have to fight for their positions.”

Rashford, Garnacho and Amad have all scored this season, which has increased the pressure on Antony, who was linked with Turkish club Fenerbahce before the transfer window closed.

“The other players are doing so well – they’re contributing,” said Ten Hag. “He has to get over them. He has to earn the right in training.”

On Tuesday’s cup game against Barnsley at Old Trafford, Ten Hag added: “You will see what the line-up will be.

“We have every day training and the players have to earn the right to play.

“When players do the right thing in training, when the attitude is good, when

they show performance in training, they will earn the right to play.”