Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim has given an explanation for Antony's superb start to life on loan at Real Betis after flopping at Old Trafford.
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Brazilian has scored twice in three gamesOnly managed 12 goals in 96 Man Utd matches'You need a strong core'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
The Brazilian has scored two goals and earned two player of the match awards in just three games at Real Betis after escaping his horrendous spell at United on loan. He was on target in Betis' 3-0 win at Gent in the Conference League on Thursday. The winger had only scored one goal this season for the Red Devils – a penalty against Barnsley in the Carabao Cup – and only struck a meagre 12 times in 96 appearances following his £86 million ($108m) move from Ajax in 2022, making him one of the worst signings in the club's history.
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Antony is far from alone in having a new lease of life since leaving Old Trafford. Scott McTominay has scored six goals and set up a further two for Serie A leaders Napoli this season. Anthony Elanga is also lighting up Nottingham Forest's incredible campaign after failing to make a lasting impact at United following an exciting breakthrough campaign under Ralf Rangnick.
WHAT AMORIM SAID
Amorim told a press conference: "I don't know, sometimes it's like that, it can happen with any club. This club has a lot of pressure and you have to have a base of a team to put younger and talented players that came from abroad to help them. If you are playing better as a team, and you have a strong core, like it's supposed to be at this club, it will be more easy for these kind of players to play football."
DID YOU KNOW?
United are having a terrible season on and off the pitch. The Red Devils are currently 13th in the Premier League table ahead of Sunday's trip to Tottenham, on course for their lowest league finish since 1990. And the club is increasingly unstable financially, with co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe planning another 200 job losses. Amorim said he was trying to just focus on the next game but admitted the Red Devils had deep-seated issues. He said: "Our biggest problem now is Tottenham, we know the moment of the club, I have to understand these problems, but these problems in our club are not new. We have a problem at the moment, but that cannot influence how I coach the team and prepare for the next game."