Former Manchester United strikers' coach Benni McCarthy has shed light on why Erik ten Hag chose Brazilian winger Antony over Ivorian Amad Diallo during their time at the club, with the form of the 22-year-old under Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ruben Amorim putting the focus sharply back on their Dutch predecessor's shortcomings.
To provide some context, Antony has netted 12 goals and provided five assists in 92 appearances for United since joining the club. In stark contrast, Diallo has contributed eight goals and ten assists in just 45 appearances. His recent performances have been particularly eye-catching, with five goals and eight assists in 26 matches.
Notably, two of his goals and one assist came under interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy, while under current manager Ruben Amorim, Diallo has scored two goals and provided six assists across all competitions.
The contrast between their respective performances highlights the difficult choices Ten Hag faced, with Diallo's talent now coming to the forefront as he makes his mark. However, according to McCarthy, who has previously slammed his former business partner's handling of the Cristiano Ronaldo situation, the reasons behind Ten Hag's decision laid within his favouritism.
Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, and Antony of Manchester United. Related
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McCarthy Sheds Light On Ten Hag's Relationship with Diallo
The Dutchman has long been criticised for picking players based on their time together at Ajax
Erik ten Hag on the touchline
During his appearance on ‘Podcast and Chill with MacG,’ South Africa‘s all-time top goalscorer highlighted why Antony was Ten Hag’s preferred choice. He believes the former Ajax manager naturally prioritised supporting the player he had personally brought to the club in a worrying rendering of nepotism. He said, as per FARPost:
“Tactically, when we set up, the manager felt that Antony was the best, better player for the job that he wanted because he knew Antony from Ajax. He was his player, so he invested in him, and the club supported him. So, of course, he had to support the player that he bought..."
“So, I think that’s why he persisted in playing Antony," McCarthy continued. "It’s because he knew the capabilities when Antony was at his best. And then you had Garnacho who was also playing well, scoring goals. [Marcus] Rashford, on any given day, could demolish anyone. And then you’ve got [Rasmus] Hojlund, you spend £70 million on bringing him in, so he has to play.
“So someone’s gotta, and unfortunately for Amad Diallo, the manager goes with the player he thinks he’s probably more capable for, for those type of games tactically, defensively and attacking.”
McCarthy went on to discuss Diallo’s development, explaining that they shared a strong bond due to their common African heritage. “I dealt quite a lot with, and because obviously, we’re both Africans, he would always ask me for anything and advice and want to work on this.
"Amad wanted to do finishing all the time. He’s so persistent until he gets one up on you. We were working on finishing all the time, and you could see it’s just a matter of time.”