After Antony’s most recent subpar performance, Peter Schmeichel has asked Erik ten Hag to think about benching the Brazilian since he doesn’t “understand the game.”

On Saturday, Antony had yet another night to forget as Manchester United lost 2-1 to Nottingham Forest to close out 2023.

After being benched for the Boxing Day victory over Aston Villa, Rasmus Hojlund’s absence at the City Ground allowed Antony to return to the starting lineup, with Marcus Rashford moving up front and Alejandro Garnacho moving to the left wing.

“This is a player who hasn’t scored this season, made an assist, or assisted; it seems like he doesn’t really understand the game,” said the person who has had the opportunity for a long time. 

When Antony followed Ten Hag from Ajax to Old Trafford for £82 million last year, he became the second most expensive player in United’s history. However, he has never lived up to his price tag.

Throughout his 21 appearances across all competitions this season, the Brazilian has yet to earn his first goal or assist.

In his thirty games between then and April 16, Antony had only one assist and no goals for United. His last goal came on April 16 at the City Ground against Forest.

Even though Jadon Sancho hasn’t played for the first team since September, he has more goals and assists in the same time frame.

Despite making just two starts this season, Facundo Pellistri has more assists than Antony has had since last April.

Even if Anthony Martial and Marcus Rashford are having terrible seasons of their own, they have combined for more goals and assists this season than Antony had during the previous eight months.

While acknowledging that Antony’s lackluster output was not the result of a lack of effort, Schmeichel questioned whether Antony was just doing as Ten Hag had instructed, in which case the Dutchman would have to take the fall for it.

“As a winger, you expect them to do certain things, like enter this area [the byline] and use your right foot to cross the ball, but he doesn’t,” the man remarked. 

He’s trying, but he knows he hasn’t got the pace and he’s trying here.

“We’re not sure what the manager’s message is; he may have been told to continue doing what he’s been doing, in which case the manager would bear the blame for no goals or assists this season.”