Robbie Savage says Antony’s first-half showboating moment against FC Sheriff was “embarrassing”. The Brazilian produced his trademark ‘Anturny’ - which sees him drag the ball in a circle with his left foot in one continuous motion - as half-time approached.
He followed this up by overhitting a through-ball, sending it out of play with the score at 0-0, prior to Diogo Dalot’s opener for United just before the break. The incident prompted a sternly disappointed shake of the head from Erik ten Hag, with Dalot also giving Antony an earful.
Whether it was for the party-piece or for another reason, Antony was taken off during the interval, being replaced by Marcus Rashford. While commentating on the match for BT Sport, Savage branded the moment “ridiculous.”
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He added: “He’s [Antony] done that then puts the ball out of play. It’s quite embarrassing actually. Doing that with nobody near him and then he puts the ball out of play.
“If I was the manager I would not be happy. You’re trying to win the game, move the ball quickly, nobody near him and he puts the ball out of play. Embarrassing. What was the point? If I was the manager and he did that again, I would drag him off.”
During the break, fellow pundits Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves berated Antony for his showboating. Scholes said: “If I was a number six playing out there I know what I would be doing.
“I don’t know what he is doing, it is just ridiculous. He is not beating a man, he is not entertaining anybody, then he kicks the ball out. But that is the way he plays but I think he needs that knocking out of him.”
Hargreaves added: “If you are going to do it, the final pass has to be good. That is just how it is now, but at 0-0 you don’t do that. I don’t even think you do that when you are three or four goals up, it’s disrespectful.”
Savage later added that he didn't think the incident had played a part in Antony being substituted at half-time, suggesting he was probably being rested for the weekend.
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