"Would struggle to start for Newport" - Manchester United fans unhappy with 23-year-old star's inclusion in XI for FA Cup fixture
Some Manchester United fans are unhappy about Antony starting in their FA Cup fourth-round game against Newport County away on Sunday, January 28.
The Brazilian winger joined the team for a huge £82 million after Erik ten Hag became manager in 2022, but he hasn't met the high expectations. Antony had a tough time adjusting to English football. Despite playing 22 games across competitions this season, including 17 in the League, he hasn't scored or assisted once.
In his 66 games for Manchester United, Antony has only scored eight goals and made three assists. This is quite poor, considering his more impressive output at Ajax, where he registered 24 goals and 22 assists in 82 games.
The 23-year-old winger has also received 12 yellow cards while playing for United, which is more than he ever got in either of his previous clubs.
United's fans have shown their unhappiness on social media with various posts expressing their disappointment, as one fan wrote:
"Antony would struggle to start for Newport"
Here is a selection of their posts:
Another fan showed disgust:
One fan expected Amad Diallo to start instead:
Another fan showed disgust:
Newport County host Manchester United in FA Cup clash
Newport County are set to face Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round at the Rodney Parade stadium, where they will be hoping to create an upset.
There has been unhappiness since the start of the season at Old Trafford. The Red Devils were knocked out of the UEFA Champions League in the group stage, finishing at the bottom of their group. They're also sitting outside of European spots in the Premier League (8th) and may end up not going to Europe if they cannot turn their season around.
Manchester United easily beat Wigan Athletic in the third round of the FA Cup. Goals from Diogo Dalot and Bruno Fernandes secured a 2-0 win, but their performance arguably wasn’t very impressive.
The Red Devils, though, have a good record in the FA Cup, especially against lower-league teams. They haven't lost in 28 away games in the FA Cup against such teams, and they will be keen to keep the record going.
United's form has recently been unpredictable. They managed to draw 2-2 with Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in the league even though they led twice and failed to keep their lead. They have only won two of their last eight games in all tournaments, and before beating Wigan, they had not won in five away games.