Ten Hag is going to need a lot more than Antony and Sonic to sort this mess out
IF you are going to get especially pumped up for any particular game, Burnley at home is not the obvious choice.
If you are determined to prove some sort of point about your total commitment and your work ethic, Burnley at home would not be the most appropriate fixture to do it in. And if you had not scored a Premier League goal all season, having a choreographed celebration at the ready – and adding a cuddly toy – would seem to be a little bit rich. In fact, it might even seem to symbolise what is fundamentally wrong with your game. Perhaps you rate yourself far too highly.
It might seem to symbolise what is also fundamentally wrong with your team’s game. Perhaps they have rated themselves far too highly for far too long.
The cuddly toy held aloft by Antony was actually Sonic the Hedgehog. You might see it as a reference to the fact that while the Brazilian was making his 27th Premier League appearance of the campaign, he has actually been hibernating all season. Him and a few others. That Antony’s late goal – taken well though with considerable help from Sander Berge’s misplaced pass – did not prove to be a winner was in part down to Andre Onana’s rush of blood that gave Burnley a leveller from the penalty spot.
But it was also down to United’s addiction to giving the opposition attacking practice.
Vincent Kompany’s side had 16 attempts on goal here along with the majority of the possession. Yes, that’s right. Burnley had the majority of possession at Old Trafford.
Erik ten Hag was jeered as he subbed Kobbie Mainoo. There were boos at the final whistle as well. Results
and performances such as this one are making Ten Hag’s position untenable. Cruel to say, but fair.
And one of the players who will, more than likely, cost him his job is Antony.
Ten Hag, of course, is that particular player’s main sponsor, so in the event of a managerial change, Antony does need to win some hearts and minds.
Among the fanbase, and among the new Old Trafford executive hierarchy.
Not that those new bosses will have many Antony-related options to choose from this summer. If they want him out, United are going to have to take a huge hit on the £85million they gave in August 2022 to an incredulous Ajax.
The respected website Transfermarkt has his current value booked at £25m. That’s being generous. With his lumpy United deal running until 2027, Antony is either an asset, or a problem, for a long time to come. It seems more likely he will be a problem. But at least there was the odd hint against Burnley that he could be an asset after all. Of most significance was his defensive diligence, although a first-half yellow card was a reflection on his tackling issues. But, for an hour of this game, he was probably United’s most dangerous player, and should have done better with a couple of presentable chances early in the second half.
Alejandro Garnacho was similarly wasteful, but Burnley enjoyed the same sort of opportunities at the other end.
With the greatest respect to the visitors, the most damning thing you could say about this current United side is that we saw two evenly matched teams at Old Trafford.
Let’s be brutally frank here – as much as it might upset Ten Hag to say it – this is an ordinary Manchester United who will win some, lose some, draw some.
To be spectacularly fair to
Ten Hag, he has suffered – and more than most – from a relatively unrelenting injury crisis, but that is still no excuse for the plethora of mediocre performances his sides have delivered.
And ultimately, he has to take a significant share of the blame for that.
He has repeatedly claimed that this Manchester United team is more accomplished than it actually is.
And he has seemingly turned a blind eye to its many shortcomings.
But those shortcomings are there for all to see, including the Sir Jim Ratcliffe brigade. It’s not looking good for you, Erik.
The most damning thing you could say about United is that we saw two evenly matched teams here