"Anyone remember when wingers used to help their full-backs," Paul Scholes wrote on Instagram after the Manchester derby defeat, with a picture of David Beckham and Ryan Giggs embracing in collared Manchester United shirts in the background.
The post seemed to be criticism of Antony and Jadon Sancho, who both failed to provide any defensive protection against Manchester City at the Etihad. That was confirmed after the Omonia Nicosia fixture in the Europa League last week when Scholes, using his platform as a pundit for BT Sport, labelled Antony a "one-trick pony" and doubled down on his criticism of Sancho.
Antony scored against Everton on Sunday night, his third goal in three Premier League appearances for the club, and Scholes picked up his iPhone again. "Whoops," he wrote on Instagram, after being reminded that he branded Antony a one-trick pony.
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Erik ten Hag will not mind whether Antony is a 'one-trick pony' or not if he continues to score goals at his current rate for a side that has few goalscorers. Antony has scored against Arsenal, City and Everton, and he became the first United player to score in his first three Premier League appearances with his strike at Goodison Park, which led him to claim he "was living the dream" in Manchester.
Antony's performance against Everton was his best since joining the club. Although he has scored in each of his Premier League appearances, he was average against Arsenal and his flawed display against City left Diogo Dalot vulnerable, as Scholes suggested. His performance was rounded against Everton in comparison and it was the display that Ten Hag wanted to see.
"I was quite sure he [Antony] could have an impact straight away," Ten Hag said after Everton. "The first games, he had good moments and bad moments, but I think today he played his best game so far, now you see him running behind, that's what I expect.
"Now I see his pressing, his defending is much better than in the first games. I'm happy with his performance and happy with his development. I know there's still huge improvement. I know he needs the challenge of this club and the Premier League."
Ten Hag seemed to agree with Scholes' criticism with those comments - most supporters did. Antony's performances prior to the weekend were praised because he had scored, that's the nature of football, but key elements that are non-negotiables in the Premier League were crucially absent from those displays and that explains why Ten Hag was so delighted with his recent response.
It was the type of performance from an £85.5million signing that needs to be sustained. Antony, 22, is still learning his craft and he was desperate to sign for United this summer because he knows what Ten Hag will do for his development. Ten Hag is critical in defeat and victory and that's the elite mentality that is required to reach the very top of the game, for a player or a club.
Antony has the talent to reach the pinnacle of the sport, but Old Trafford has seen many of those players come and go without realising their potential. There have been talented signings that have disappointed and signings that have just disappointed.
United have recently spent £120m on right-wingers - Jadon Sancho, Amad and Facundo Pellistri - and yet it was still a position that needed to be addressed this summer. Sancho has predominantly played on the left, Amad was playing for Sunderland's U21s on Monday night, albeit for minutes, and Pellistri has still not made his first-team debut after two years at the club.
Although it would be unfair to criticise Amad and Pellistri, as both players are still young and learning, while the latter has actually been included in United's last three matchday squads, they have not vindicated their respective price tags thus far.
Amad and Pellistri will hopefully progress to have wonderful careers, but they are yet to make an impact in the first team and that's what they are judged on, given they were signed for a combined fee of around £45m, which could have been spent elsewhere.
The jury also remains out on whether Sancho will succeed on the left-wing, never mind on the side he was signed to play on. United have thrown money at the position and that continued with Antony this summer, although he has promised to deliver.
While the young players might come good on that side, Sancho, Amad and Pellistri are yet to deliver, which means Antony has the task of being the exception at right-wing and he needs to continue to deliver solid performances after Everton.
Old Trafford has become a graveyard for signings over the last decade and the right-wing position has seemed to burden more players than it has elevated over the last few years. Ten Hag has the challenge of helping Antony rise above that recent history.
If Antony succeeds on the right-wing, Scholes will no doubt be the first to pick up his iPhone to praise him.
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