Ten Hag: Why I Prefer Antony to Diallo

Amad Diallo has gone from being named Manchester United’s Player of the Month at the start of the season to struggling for minutes on the pitch, now seemingly the third-choice right winger.

Weeks have passed since Diallo last played for United, and with Marcus Rashford and Antony ahead of him in the pecking order, his chances of regular game time seem increasingly limited.

Diallo, visibly frustrated after being substituted on in the 89th minute to replace the injured Antony, may face an extended spell on the bench.

Following United’s 1-1 draw against Fenerbahçe, Erik Ten Hag explained why Antony is preferred over Diallo, highlighting the Brazilian’s superior performances in training.

“He’s doing well,” Ten Hag said about Diallo, “but I also have to reward Antony for his work in training.”

“Antony is a constant threat in almost every session,” Ten Hag added, justifying his decision to bring in the Brazilian for Marcus Rashford ahead of Amad Diallo.

Diallo didn’t feature in Manchester United’s previous matches against Aston Villa and Brentford and was only brought on after Antony’s injury, raising questions about his role in the squad going forward.