Troy Deeney has urged Manchester United to part ways with Antony following another underwhelming performance in the team’s Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat to Tottenham.
Read also: Man United Eye £50m Midfield Star Ederson in Transfer Battle
Antony, making just his second start under manager Ruben Amorim, struggled to make an impact and was substituted for Amad Diallo after 55 ineffective minutes. At that point, Spurs were leading 3-0 in north London.
United showed signs of life after Antony’s exit. Joshua Zirkzee pulled one back before Amad Diallo, scoring his second goal in as many games, made it 3-2 and gave the visitors momentum. However, Tottenham regained control when Son Heung-min scored directly from a corner, making it 4-2.
Jonny Evans’ stoppage-time header provided late drama, but Spurs held on to book their place in the semi-finals with a 4-3 victory.
Tottenham will face defending champions Liverpool in the next round, while Arsenal and Newcastle clash in the other semi-final after wins over Crystal Palace and Brentford, respectively.
Deeney, analyzing United’s performance from the CBS Sports studio, was particularly critical of Antony. He claimed United’s energy significantly improved after the Brazilian winger was substituted.
“As soon as Manchester United took Antony off, everybody else started running,” said the former Watford striker. “They’ve got to cut ties with him.
I don’t want to scapegoat him, but watching him is so frustrating. This was his big moment. He doesn’t run, he doesn’t sprint… just get him out of the club.”
Deeney added that United should even consider offloading Antony alongside other out-of-favor players like Marcus Rashford: “If you’re getting rid of Marcus Rashford, whoever takes him, we’ll pay them to take Antony too. Just get him out.”
Turning his attention to Tottenham, Deeney expressed disbelief over how they allowed United back into the game after a dominant start. He criticized Ange Postecoglou’s men for “inviting pressure” despite being in complete control.
“Tottenham were cruising at 3-0 by the 60th minute, and United had nothing,” Deeney said. “Tottenham just needed to control the game, but they kept taking unnecessary risks. Instead of using their goalkeeper to reset play and spread the field, they were taking too many touches and trying to play a high line, which only invited pressure.”
Deeney also called out Tottenham’s defensive tactics: “Their defenders were pushing forward at the wrong moments. You learn at a young age—if there’s no pressure on the ball, you drop back and give space. Instead, Spurs were doing everything backwards.”
While Tottenham advanced, the match left questions about their game management and cast further doubt on Antony’s future at Manchester United.
