Erik ten Hag has reiterated that he does not have a problem with Antony using skills in matches so long as they are productive.
The Brazilian came in for criticism from some pundits when he produced his trademark 360-degree swivel showpiece before hitting the ball out of play with the game goalless in the first-half of Thursday’s 3-0 win over FC Sheriff.
Paul Scholes said Antony had acted like a “clown” while Robbie Savage branded the incident “embarrassing.” A number of team-mates have come out to defend his move, with both Diogo Dalot and Fred insisting that it is just part of his game.
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At the time of the piece of skill, Ten Hag was seen shaking his head after Antony hit the ball out of play. After the match, he explained that his decision to replace Antony at half-time did not have anything do with his showboating and that he doesn’t mind his players using skill if there is an end product.
The United boss doubled down on this stance when speaking to Sky Sports in an interview ahead of West Ham's trip to Old Trafford on Sunday. “When it’s functional I don’t have a problem with that,” he said. “When you beat opponents with that, sometimes football also is - especially in the Theatre of Dreams - entertaining the public.
“But we want to win football games and that is the main objective. So when it's functional and it’s winning the football match, I’m OK with it.”
Ten Hag said he is well aware of Antony’s tendency to produce in-match skill after seeing it several times at Ajax but warned that it can sometimes backfire. He added: “I’ve seen his tricks and he likes to do it. To impress the opponent it’s good but it's also you don’t want to provoke the opponent in the wrong way. Finally, it’s about this - his game has to be effective.”
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