Ruben Amorim response to Antony efforts says all of it as Man Utd lose at Tottenham

Manchester United were beaten 4-3 by Tottenham as Ruben Amorim’s men endured a night to forget in the capital and crashed out of the Carabao Cup

Ruben Amorim‘s bold move to include £86m mega flop Antony in his starting line-up for Manchester United away at Tottenham was a clear show of faith – but the outcome was exactly as anticipated.

Straight-talking Amorim has swiftly made his mark at Old Trafford, while also giving his entire squad the opportunity to start afresh, as he looks to salvage United’s dismal season that sees them slumped in 13th place in the Premier League.

However, choosing Antony to start, just days after Amad’s outstanding performance in the Manchester derby, seemed like an overreach among five changes that clearly disrupted United’s momentum and saw them crash out of the Carabao Cup with a 4-3 defeat.

This wasn’t Antony’s poorest showing in a United shirt – there have been many, to be honest – but it quickly became evident early on that he is a player who not only struggles with the physical demands of English football, but also often fails to deliver on the basics.In a period when Amorim has consistently emphasised the need to uphold standards, defending such glaring mediocrity seems difficult. And this was encapsulated early on in North London, reports the Mirror.

Just two minutes into the game, Tottenham’s wing-back Djed Spence made a dash up the left flank, pursued half-heartedly by Antony. His feeble sliding tackle and attempt to regain possession were so lacklustre, it almost evoked sympathy.

He was nowhere near the ball and lay sprawled on the pitch as if sunbathing while Spence sauntered past him at a leisurely pace. But this was just the beginning of Antony’s woes.

Moments later, he was easily dispossessed deep in Spurs‘ territory by Yves Bissouma, prompting Amorim to hang his head in frustration and turn away from the pitch. The Portuguese boss tried to guide his winger through the match, shouting numerous instructions.While Antony’s touches were occasionally deft, his lack of strength was glaringly obvious in a high-octane game played at full throttle. Antony was physically outmatched by Radu Dragusin during a corner play, much to the delight of Spurs fans who took the opportunity to ridicule the former Ajax winger.

Besides this, he seemed to be merely a spectator in the first half, watching numerous promising crosses go behind for Tottenham goal-kicks while Amorim paced his technical area. When Spurs were leading 3-0 thanks to Dominic Solanke’s second goal of the night, it came as no surprise when Antony was one of three players substituted.

He even began walking towards the touchline as the board was being prepared, anticipating his substitution. He wasn’t the only United player who failed to impress, with several others also delivering shaky performances.

However, regardless of his massive price tag, more is expected from a player who has had so little game time. Being selected to start such an important match was essentially a golden opportunity for Antony, but his performances so far have not justified this chance, and there appeared to be no eagerness on his part to make an impact and potentially turn things around.

Antony, signed by Erik ten Hag from Ajax in September 2022, had an impressive start with goals in three consecutive Premier League games against Arsenal, Manchester City and Everton, including a debut goal against Arsenal.

However, his performance has been overshadowed by Amad’s exceptional work rate and technical skills, which have become invaluable assets for United under Amorim.The issue for United is that there may not be many interested parties for the 24-year-old given his current form, making any potential transfer a risky proposition. Even defender Jonny Evans, not known for his scoring prowess, has matched his less impressive team-mate’s goal tally this season.