In the final moments of Manchester United’s draw with Fenerbahce, Antony was removed from the field on a stretcher, and his appearance following the match indicates that he sustained a substantial injury.
Antony, the Manchester United winger, may be required to spend time on the sidelines after being observed exiting the stadium on crutches following the stalemate against Fenerbahce.
On Thursday evening in Istanbul, United secured their third consecutive draw in the Europa League. Jose Mourinho’s team ensured that Erik ten Hag and his players have not experienced triumph in the competition for 12 months. Additionally, there was additional negative news following the final whistle.
Antony entered the game as a 73rd-minute substitute for Marcus Rashford, but he was forced to leave 16 minutes later in favor of Amad Diallo. At first, the issue seemed unremarkable; however, the Brazilian manifested signs of distress and informed the bench that he required replacement.
A stretcher was brought onto the pitch to remove the former Ajax player. Subsequently, he was observed using crutches and wearing a protective brace on his left leg as he traveled through the media mixed zone to meet the United coach.
Antony has scored only one goal in five appearances across all competitions this season; however, Ten Hag does not have the luxury of any additional injuries. The Dutchman was subsequently compelled to defend his decision to introduce the 24-year-old ahead of Amad, a decision that enraged some supporters on social media. He stated that Antony had been “training very well.”
Antony has only scored 12 goals and provided five assists in 86 matches for United since Ten Hag supervised an £86million transfer to bring him from his former club, Ajax. He has yet to fulfill his potential, as Rashford, Amad, and Alejandro Garnacho have been prioritized in wide areas this season.
However, Ten Hag is already burdened with an abundance of injuries due to the absence of Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans, Luke Shaw, Mason Mount, Leny Yoro, and Tyrell Malacia from the Istanbul voyage. However, the outcome did not significantly alleviate the stress associated with his workload.
With a forceful finish at the conclusion of a flowing sequence that included Garnacho, Noussair Mazraoui, and Joshua Zirkzee, Christian Eriksen secured the lead for the opposing team. That was their initial attempt at a goal; however, the joy was short-lived.
Andre Onana’s two remarkable, rapid-fire stops from Youssouf En-Nesyri preserved United’s 1-0 lead at halftime. However, the Fenerbahce striker promptly equalized by nodding in Allain Saint-Maximin’s cross. Manuel Ugarte’s challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel resulted in a penalty for the host team, which resulted in Jose Mourinho’s dismissal.
In the 55th minute, United summoned Rasmus Hojlund and Casemiro from the bench in an attempt to find inspiration; however, they were unsuccessful. They are currently ranked 21st in the Europa League classification, having been unable to defeat FC Twente, Porto, and Fenerbahce.
