Exciting Update: Antony Set for Thrilling Return against Galatasaray on Tuesday, Confirms Erik ten Hag
Antony, the Manchester United winger, may make his comeback against Galatasaray in the Champions League game on Tuesday despite ongoing police inquiries related to abuse allegations Meanwhile, Lisandro Martinez will undergo foot surgery, leaving him sidelined for up to three months The team remains optimistic and motivated, and Varane believes in their quality to compete for the coveted Champions League title
Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has announced that Antony may make a comeback in Tuesday's Champions League match against Galatasaray, despite ongoing investigations by the police regarding accusations of abuse directed towards him. The 23-year-old was granted a temporary absence by the club last month in order to address these allegations, which he has consistently refuted.
Antony came back to the UK from Brazil last week and participated in a voluntary interview with Greater Manchester Police. United confirmed on Friday that he is now ready for selection.
On Saturday, the winger resumed training and there is a possibility that he might play against Galatasaray, the Turkish champions, at Old Trafford. This would mark his return to the field after a month since his last match against Arsenal.
"Antony will be taken into account, although yesterday marked his initial return to team training," stated United boss Ten Hag.
"We will conduct one final training session before reaching a decision, yet he will definitely be considered."
Antony has been accused of physically aggressing his ex-girlfriend Gabriela Cavallin, as reported by Brazilian outlet UOL. The winger has refuted these allegations, as well as additional assault claims made by Rayssa de Freitas and Ingrid Lana.
Cavallin is expected to have a discussion with the police later this week. When posed with a question about Antony's reinstatement into the team and its implications for domestic violence victims, Ten Hag responded, unaware of the initial query, "He fully cooperated. It was revealed that he has not been charged..."
Martinez to have surgery on foot injury
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Lisandro Martinez is to undergo surgery on a foot injury
Antony has returned to the scene, but his teammate Jadon Sancho continues to be excluded from the first-team squad due to injuries. The absence of full-backs Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Luke Shaw, Tyrell Malacia, and Sergio Reguilon adds to the squad's injury woes, while Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo have been unable to participate this season.
Key center-back Lisandro Martinez is now facing a potential three-month absence due to an injury. The Argentina international had to undergo surgical treatment following a metatarsal fracture sustained during the first leg of the Europa League quarter-final against Sevilla in April.
Martinez's return to the field this season has been short-lived, as a recurrence of his foot injury requires him to undergo another surgery at a crucial stage of the season.
Confirming the news, Coach Ten Hag stated, "Licha Martinez will have to undergo surgery. Consequently, we can expect the return of Antony dos Santos to the team."
Ten Hag: Team is moving forward
Manchester United are entering Tuesday's game in a critical situation, as they are in urgent need of a victory. This necessity arises not only from their defeat in the Champions League opener against Bayern Munich, where they lost 4-3, but also due to their lackluster performance resulting in a 1-0 loss against Crystal Palace last Saturday.The defeat means it the club's worst start to a league season after seven games in 34 years.
"Of course we are disappointed about the result," Ten Hag said.
After analyzing the game and identifying the problems, it is crucial to progress forward while also providing solutions for the issues. According to Ten Hag, despite the results, the team is making progress and there are positives to be acknowledged amidst the negatives.
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Erik ten Hag is leading Manchester United through their poorest start in Premier League history, having played seven games.
One of the concerns for United has been Marcus Rashford's performances; he has only scored once so far this season, a significant drop compared to his previous campaign where he netted 30 goals across all competitions.
"The truth is, he hasn't been able to score recently, although he did have several chances," Ten Hag remarked about the underperforming English player.
"For instance, in the match against Brighton, there were multiple instances where he was in excellent positions."
If he consistently puts in hard work and makes daily investments, approaches every game with the proper focus, receives ample support, assistance, and movement from his team, then success will ultimately follow.
When Marcus Rashford finds himself in favorable positions, he possesses the ability to consistently find the back of the net in every match.
Varane: We have quality to challenge for Champions League
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Raphael Varane believes Man Utd can win the Champions League this season
Raphael Varane, a four-time Champions League winner, believes that Manchester United has the potential to become European champions, despite their uncertain start to the season. According to the 2018 World Cup winner, success in this competition relies on paying attention to details and being effective.
Recently, I have been pondering on areas that require improvement, particularly our ability to effectively convert goal-scoring opportunities while minimizing the goals we concede.
It is crucial for us to generate numerous chances in order to secure goals, as this is the norm at the highest level. The key to achieving significant triumphs lies in our ability to be efficient in front of the goal.
I believe that our squad possesses the necessary quality to participate in and triumph in the competition. However, there is room for improvement. Tomorrow presents a wonderful opportunity for us to secure our first points in the competition, advance, and enhance our performance.
Varane believes that United's squad is capable of winning the Champions League this season. He acknowledges the tough competition but emphasizes the squad's quality and positive mentality, while also acknowledging the need for some improvements.
"It's not the start of the season we expected but I still believe we have the quality enough to compete with the best teams in the world."
Merson: Man Utd like watching Subbuteo | 'Mount looks lost'
Paul Merson likened Manchester United's performance to a game of Subbuteo, emphasizing their lack of movement and creativity in the attacking third during their 1-0 loss against Crystal Palace.
He described watching Man Utd as akin to watching a game of Subbuteo – stagnant and lacking any progression. The pressure of managing prominent football clubs intensifies when their rivals triumph. Had Man City emerged victorious, the stakes would have been even higher, making it imperative for Man Utd to secure a top-four position this season.
The lack of cohesive gameplay is evident when watching Man Utd. Unlike other top teams like Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, and Man City, who exhibit defined patterns of play, Man Utd heavily relies on getting the ball out wide and banking on Rashford's individual brilliance for goal-scoring opportunities. This approach is not only concerning but also resulted in yet another disappointing defeat, proving how far they are from their competitors.
Currently, I do not foresee them reversing the situation. It could reach a point where they would need to alter the formation. Their current four-man defense might require transitioning to a three-man defense to introduce variation.
I observe that Mount and Fernandes appear disoriented and unsure of their positioning. They are being outplayed and outmaneuvered. Although they exerted pressure on Palace, Johnstone, their goalkeeper, did not face an overwhelming number of shots.
