Manchester United star Antony opens up on being 'bothered' by Erik ten Hag's decision last season

Manchester United star Antony has opened up on manager Erik ten Hag's decision of utilizing him in a defensive role in the 2023-24 term.

Antony, 24, endured a difficult campaign for the Red Devils last time around, failing to shine in the final third. The Brazilian winger scored just three goals and recorded two assists in 38 total games for his club.

Due to the Sao Paulo academy graduate's poor performances, Ten Hag decided to use the player as a left-back earlier this year. The ex-Ajax man even scored a goal while operating as a wing-back in Manchester United's 4-3 FA Cup triumph against Liverpool last season.

During a chat with the Daily Mail, Antony shared his two cents on his experience of playing in a defensive role for Manchester United last term. The left-footed attacker elaborated:

"I'm someone who demands a lot of myself and I was obviously not satisfied with my season. A lot happened last season. I played full-back and was a little uneasy about it, but that was because with the team losing or drawing, you want to be in the attack to turn things around and help the team."

Explaining how Ten Hag's decision affected him, Antony continued:

"Being moved into defence bothered me a bit. You feel annoyed in the moment during the game, but afterwards, it's all fine. I have tremendous affection for Erik and he has a lot of affection for me. He's a great coach and he knows he can rely upon me."

Since arriving in a potential £86 million move from Ajax in 2022, Antony has scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 82 outings for United.

In comparison, Antony found the back of the net 24 times and recorded 22 assists in 82 appearances across competitions for the Dutch outfit.

Paul Scholes opines on Manchester United ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 campaign

Speaking on The Overlap, Red Devils great Paul Scholes said that he is indifferent about his former club starting the new season. He opined:

"I have heard a lot of United fans saying recently that they are excited for the new season. I'm struggling to get excited for it."

Despite lifting the FA Cup trophy, Manchester United endured a poor campaign last time around. They finished in eighth spot in the 2023-24 Premier League table and won just half of their 52 overall games.

Manchester United will face Premier League champions Manchester City in the FA Community Shield encounter this Saturday (August 10).