With Cristiano Ronaldo starting again on the bench, Antony scored in a dream debut for Manchester United, with the Brazilian’s clinical goal and the two from Marcus Rashford taking a 3-1 win that ended Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League.
Antony made his first appearance in a United shirt after signing Ajax, ex-club of manager Erik ten Hag, in a deal worth around €100 million.
Full of deliberate moves, tricks and moves, the 22-year-old striker took just 35 minutes to score in a dazzling display for his new fans at Old Trafford.
Arsenal counterattacked to equalize for Bukayo Saka but Rashford swept away the leaders with two goals within nine minutes of the second half after Antony was replaced by Cristiano Ronaldo.
Thanks to Antony and Rashford, United managed to celebrate their fourth win in a row, after two defeats to open the championship, taking the Red Devils to fifth place.
Opening his reign with successive defeats to Brighton and Brentford left him questioning the start of the Ten Hag era at Old Trafford. But since then, the Dutchman has left his mark on a United side that looks much more organized than the chaotic side that finished sixth in the Premier League last season.
For United, next to Ronaldo, who started from the bench for the fourth game in a row – one of Ten Hag’s measures after the two first defeats – initially the Portuguese Bruno Fernandes de Diogo Dalot.
Arsenal’s first defeat this season, after five consecutive wins, was brutal for Mikel Arteta’s men, who contributed much to a close encounter but paid the price for a naive defence. The Portuguese Fábio Veiria came in for the London team in the 73rd minute.
Source: DN
