5 Premier League players you would not believe scored more league goals than Antony last season (2021-22)
Antony is set to become a Premier League player soon, as Manchester United have reportedly agreed a €100 million fee for the Brazil international (as per Fabrizio Romano).
The highly-skilled right-winger played under Erik ten Hag at Ajax last season and impressed everybody at the Dutch club. However, he could only muster eight goals and four assists in 23 Eredivisie appearances last season. These ordinary returns have raised doubts about the fee paid for him by the Red Devils.
Manchester United are paying €100M for a 22 year old player with 8 goals and 4 assists in his last Eredivisie season.
Have Ajax robbed Manchester United of €100M? Or will Antony succeed at Manchester Utd? https://t.co/fRU1tPWjnI
Antony, for all his talent & potential, is yet to prove himself in one of Europe’s top five leagues. Moreover, he has scored only eight times in a league that Ajax have dominated over the last five seasons. While he is only 22, his goal tally was bettered by quite a lot of people in the Premier League last season.
On that note, let's take a look at five Premier League players you would not believe scored more league goals than Antony in the 2021-22 season.
#5 Maxwel Cornet (9)
Maxwel Cornet may be a West Ham United player at the moment but signed for Burnley only a year ago from Olympique Lyon.
The attacker, who impressed in Ligue 1, caught the eye of Sean Dyche, who brought him to Turf Moor before the end of the 2021 summer transfer window.
Although the winger could not save Burnley from being relegated last season, he still managed to score nine times in 26 Premier League games. Like Antony, Cornet has a wand of a left foot but was a little more efficient than the Brazilian last season.
The Ivorian scored in important games last season, especially against Leicester City, Southampton and Crystal Palace, which all ended in draws. He also scored in victories against Everton and Brentford, showcasing his talent against some of the most stubborn defenses in the league.
A fine winger, Cornet is four years older than Antony but did produce more for his side in the Premier League than Antony did for Ajax in the Eredivisie.
#4 James Ward-Prowse (10)
James Ward-Prowse was one of the key reasons behind Southampton escaping relegation last season.
Ralph Hassenhuttl's men finished 15th in the Premier League table as they scored a measly 43 goals last season. However, 10 of those strikes came from midfielder Ward-Prowse, who delivered when it mattered the most for his side.
The England international, who is sensational from set-pieces, scored against some of the top clubs in the Premier League last season. Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur both faced the wrath of the central midfielder, but Southampton managed only a point collectively from both games.
38 games
10 goals
8 assists
James Ward-Prowse in all competitions this season:
👕 38 games
⚽️ 10 goals
🅰️ 8 assists
Southampton’s star. 😇⭐️ https://t.co/jzRvMnA0Rf
Ward-Prowse was one of the highest-scoring central midfielders in the Premier League last season. His unparalleled set-piece skills, coupled with the ability to curve the ball into corners, helped him achieve these numbers.
Given that United have spent a €100 million to sign Antony, they will hope he can outscore Ward-Prowse this season.
#3 Emmanuel Dennis (10)
Emmanuel Dennis was the talk of the town towards the end of last year as he produced some incredible performances for Watford in the first half of last season.
To put things into context, the Nigeria international scored eight times in 16 Premier League games until the end of 2021. This included strikes against Chelsea, West Ham and the 4-1 battering of Manchester United, which eventually led to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's sacking.
Although Dennis only scored twice after the turn of the year which led to Watford being relegated, he impressed many fans with his ability to lead the line. Hence, it is no surprise that, like Antony, the African striker also sealed a move to a Premier League club this summer. He joined the newly-promoted Nottingham Forest.
United fans will be hopeful that Antony can dazzle the Premier League like Dennis did so elegantly last season.
#2 Ollie Watkins (11)
Ollie Watkins was one of the most effective centre-forwards in the Premier League last season as he scored 11 goals out of an xG of 12.2.
The striker played under both Dean Smith and Steven Gerrard last season. However, he came to life under the latter as nine out of his 11 strikes came under the Liverpool legend. Supported by John McGinn and Philippe Coutinho, Watkins became an effective poacher in the penalty box.
He scored in both games against Brighton & Hove Albion and Norwich City, while also finding the back of the net in wins against Southampton and Burnley. The centre-forward has already managed to score once in the 2022-23 campaign, though Villa's start to the new season has been disastrous.
Regardless, Ten Hag will hope Antony's arrival can steady the ship at Manchester United, who have also endured a relatively rough start to the season.
#1 Teemu Pukki (11)
Teemu Pukki may not be the most thrilling player on the pitch but the striker has guaranteed goals for Norwich City since joining them in 2018.
He was the focal reason behind the Canaries being promoted to the Premier League last season, albeit he could not help them stay up for the 2022-23 campaign. Regardless, the Finnish striker scored 11 league goals in 37 appearances for Norwich last season, including strikes against Manchester United and Chelsea.
10+ - Teemu Pukki has become the first Norwich player to score 10+ goals in multiple Premier League seasons (11 in 2019-20 and 10 in 2021-22). Talisman. https://t.co/LGYvl4Jxc2
Pukki is a fine finisher on the ball and is a perfect example of a striker who makes room for himself and makes the best out of nothing. Moreover, his clever thinking inside the penalty box also proved to be a threat for opposition defenders.
The centre-forward is a decade older than Antony but Manchester United will hope that their new signing can produce a similar output to Pukki's last season.