Erik ten Hag insists Manchester United can rely on Antony amid his probable return to the starting XI.
Antony has not started a Premier League game this calendar year but is set for a recall due to the muscular injury that is expected to sideline Rasmus Hojlund for between two to three weeks.
Ten Hag has not used the £86.3million Antony in the last two matches and he was introduced in the 88th minute of the 3-0 win against West Ham three weeks ago. The last time Antony had meaningful minutes was when he emerged at Wolves, where his dawdling on the ball sparked the breakaway that Pedro Neto equalised from in the 95th minute.
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United have a thin attack after the ostracised Jadon Sancho and underused Facundo Pellistri were allowed to leave on loan last month. Ten Hag has promoted academy winger Omari Forson to first-team training and the 19-year-old made his debut in the FA Cup third round against Wigan Athletic last month.
Ten Hag also suggested it was not a foregone conclusion Marcus Rashford would move inside to occupy the centre-forward role. Rashford started the season there when Hojlund was recovering from a fracture to his back but only lasted two games.
“Ah yes, absolutely (we can rely on him),” Ten Hag said of Antony. “He has to prove a point, but he will do. And he has a big potential, he hasn’t shown it lately, but I know what his talent is. It is about proving his talent. It is about him. He will probably get his opportunities.
“But that was always the idea, you have competition. Now he has to show himself on the training pitch, but also others. We have possibilities there, with (Amad) Diallo returning from an injury, he is doing well in training. Omari Forson, he is doing well. We have options to fill in those positions. It is not set Marcus Rashford has to play as a centre forward.”
Hojlund is the only United player who has broken double figures for goals this season. Scott McTominay is United’s next-highest scorer on eight goals, followed by Alejandro Garnacho and Bruno Fernandes on seven. Rashford has managed five.
“Garnacho is scoring a lot of goals. Seven is a good number,” Ten Hag stressed. “Rashy is capable, but he scores five. He can score. Lately, in our last games the frontline is an absolute threat, they score.
“Is it Rasmus Hojlund only? No, it’s Garnacho, it’s also Rashford, it’s also Scott McTominay. Bruno can score a goal. We have across the team. But what gives me the confidence is in autumn the frontline wasn’t scoring, they were not even a threat. In this moment they are in very good form and a threat continually.
“I am quite confident that even when Rasmus Hojlund is not there, it will go on. We can line up a frontline which is really strong. I don’t think there is a frontline where the opponent thinks, ‘pfft, that is easy’. No, they will fear our frontline I am sure.
“He (Hojlund) was lately very important. But main man? I don’t see if that way. Because I think, especially Garnacho is playing very strong in the last games.”
Ten Hag admitted United need to thoroughly investigate the number of injury crises they have had this season. United have recorded 46 separate cases of injury or illness that has forced a player to miss matches.
“We have had a look at it,” Ten Hag conceded, “and yeah, across the season there are many factors, which are playing an impact on this. We have to improve in certain factors.
“But you see it, there are also some factors you can’t influence, it is out of your power, like the condensed programme, the programme over seasons, where Fifa, Uefa, every time are putting more games in.
“Also other clubs, they have their…
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