Wout Weghorst and Lionel Messi scored in the same World Cup quarter-final. They have both played as a No 10 at the Nou Camp, the Dutchman more recently than the Argentinian. The similarities may end there. That Weghorst has occupied a role more associated at Manchester United with Eric Cantona and Wayne Rooney can seem the strangest development at Old Trafford since Louis van Gaal instructed Phil Jones to take corners.
The giant Dutchman is making Garry Birtles, Alan Brazil, Diego Forlan and Radamel Falcao seem prolific as United forwards. He is a quixotic choice for an idiosyncratic manager. Perhaps no one else would have paid £86m for Antony, either. And yet, while he has had mixed returns from his Eredivisie alumni, Erik ten Hag’s methods are working: Antony is not fit and Weghorst is not scoring but United are fighting on four fronts and Marcus Rashford is finding the net against all-comers.
