Despite Erik ten Hag's proclamation that Manchester United are "consistent" as of late, in truth, they have been far from that this season.
The results have not always been a true reflection of the performance, with the opponent’s poor finishing often saving the Red Devils.
Nevertheless, United are still sixth in the Premier League, but they will face an uphill battle to earn Champions League football.
That said, the only positive that can be taken from this season is the development of youth and Ten Hag’s trust in handing the youngsters the opportunity to not just progress but become key players in the first team.
Kobbie Mainoo is a prime example of that, but there is a handful of inexperienced gems that could be relied upon to provide competition to some underperforming first-team players.
Antony’s 23/24 campaign in numbers
The fact that Man United once paid £82m for Antony doesn’t seem real, with the winger dramatically falling short of the expectations that are attached to a player of such a price tag.
After scoring on his first three Premier League starts, it seemed as though the Brazilian would become a fan favourite and lockdown the right-wing spot for years to come.
However, his decline over the last year has been catastrophic, which can be highlighted by his statistics across all competitions this season, but it has been his Premier League performances that have left plenty to be desired.
To sum up Antony’s season so far, in 21 league appearances, the 24-year-old has failed to register a single goal contribution, which simply isn’t good enough at this level.
The only goal of his dreary campaign came against lowly Newport County in the FA Cup at the start of 2024.
Therefore, it’s no surprise that he hasn’t made a league start since December, but Ten Hag does have a wildcard in his pocket that he can unleash instead of the former Ajax star.
Man Utd gem is quietly becoming Ten Hag's "best player" ahead of Garnacho
The star even thrived against Manchester City.
ByTom Lever Man Utd's teenage Antony replacement
Omari Forson is a player that Ten Hag seems to really believe in, with the 19-year-old forward being an "exceptional" talent, as per analyst StatmanDave.
The Dutch manager has played the attacker three times in the Premier League and has already handed him his first start.
This was against Fulham in the 2-1 defeat at Old Trafford recently, where he showed glimpses of quality via one big chance created, but he clearly lacked experience.
Despite that, Man United’s U21 player/coach Tom Huddlestone, was full of praise for the young English forward, stating:
“He reminds me of the way Bukayo Saka plays. He’s good with both feet and can finish very well, especially with his left foot.”
Premier League
3
0
1
Premier League 2
4
3
1
UEFA Youth League
2
2
1
EFL Trophy
2
2
0
Total
11
7
3
Forson’s statistics for the youth team this season also support Huddlestone’s quote, as he is clearly a reliable finisher who plays with a level of calmness and composure just like Saka.
The number 62 is also versatile and comfortable playing on either wing, just like Arsenal’s number 7, who originally featured on the left when he broke into the team and is now thriving as one of the best right-wingers in the league, scoring 13 Premier League goals this campaign already.
It’s quite obvious that Forson has a long way to go until he can be anywhere near the level of Saka, but he has already gone one better than Antony this season by picking up an assist in the league against Wolverhampton Wanderers.
