Why Manchester United Allowed Antony to Take Penalty vs Barnsley

Manchester United’s dominant 7-0 win over Barnsley in the League Cup saw a special moment when Antony scored his first goal of the season from the penalty spot. United manager Erik ten Hag confirmed that Marcus Rashford had initially been set to take the penalty but allowed Antony the opportunity instead, a decision influenced by a desire to boost the Brazilian winger’s confidence.

The penalty came in the 35th minute after Antony earned the spot-kick. As Rashford prepared to take it, Casemiro approached Rashford, who then passed the responsibility to Antony. The winger calmly converted, putting United 2-0 up. Ten Hag praised the unselfishness within the team, particularly among the wingers. "Yes, I think they are very ambitious and very hungry, but what you also see is they give each other the ball. They give assists and the chance to score, like the penalty Rashford gave to Antony. It’s good for team spirit," said Ten Hag.

With Antony now off the mark, all four of United's main wingers have contributed goals this season. Alejandro Garnacho leads the pack with four goals, followed by Rashford with three, while Antony and Amad have each scored once. Ten Hag emphasized how the competition among the wingers is pushing them to improve, but also how they support one another to create scoring opportunities.

Garnacho, who was influential in the match, has also registered three assists this season, including setting up both of Rashford's goals against Barnsley. However, despite his impressive performances, Garnacho could return to the bench for Manchester United's Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, as Amad’s fine form is providing competition for starting spots.

Ten Hag downplayed any notion that benching players equates to dropping them. “There will be rotation, and I know people see it as dropping a player, but that's not the case. We have more than 11 players who can start in any match,” Ten Hag clarified. The focus remains on maintaining squad depth and keeping the team fresh for a busy season.

This team unity, highlighted by Rashford’s decision to let Antony take the penalty, is a testament to the camaraderie within the squad as they push each other to succeed on all fronts.