‘He has to keep doing it’: Fred backs Man United team-mate Antony’s incessant showboating by arguing it is in the Brazilian’s blood and slams ‘annoying’ criticism from pundits Paul Scholes and Robbie Savage
- Fred has backed his team-mate and compatriot Antony after showboat criticism
- Antony was mocked by pundits for his turns against FC Sheriff in midweek game
- The midfielder joined Neymar and Erik ten Hag in defending the Brazilian striker
- Fred said the comments from Paul Scholes and Robbie Savage were ‘annoying’
Manchester United’s Fred has jumped to Antony’s defence after his team-mate was criticised for showboating during their Europa League match.
Paul Scholes and Robbie Savage were among those lashing out at Brazilian Antony after his pointless trickery while the match against FC Sheriff was still goalless.
Following the two drag-back spins, Antony lost possession, leading Scholes to tell BT Sport he was a ‘clown’ who was ‘not entertaining anybody’. Savage added he should have been ‘dragged’ off the pitch for his actions.
Compatriot midfielder Fred, 29, told ESPN that he was not best pleased by the comments from the pundits after the match, which Man United won 3-0, after Antony was subbed off at half-time.
Fred, right, has defended Antony, left, following criticism of his teammate’s wild showboating
Paul Scholes, left, and Robbie Savage both hit out at Antony’s trickery against FC Sheriff
‘It’s very annoying that they want to say that,’ Fred said.
‘I think it starts with us being Brazilians. Brazilians have quality in their blood. It’s always been that way since Pele, to have quality, to dribble, to score, to dance, to smile.
‘So I think people have to understand this aspect that we have. So it wasn’t offensive to anyone what he did.
Fred told ESPN that his Brazilian colleague Antony has to keep on pulling off his trick moves
‘Of course, if it’s offensive, we’ll come to him in the dressing room and talk. But it was not offensive to anyone. It’s his game. I think he has to keep doing it.
‘Dribbling, doing what he likes to do because he has the quality for it, so he has to keep doing it. Casemiro and I don’t have the quality for that, so we can’t do it.
‘I think those who have quality have to show it on the pitch there. If you want to control differently, you can control.
‘You want to do a spin that he likes to do, you have to do it. Dance, you can dance. As long as it’s with respect to the opponent, obviously.’
Manager Erik ten Hag, right, has said Antony’s trickery is fine, if it serves to be ‘functional’
Antony, 22, has also received support from Brazilian hero Neymar – who said ‘Keep it up, don’t change anything!’ – and was also defended by his Man United boss Erik ten Hag after the game.
When questioned about the showboating, ten Hag said: ‘I don’t have a problem with that as long as it’s functional.
‘So from him I demand more: more runs in behind, more often in the box, more tempo dribbles especially and more playing in the pocket.
Antony has also defended his own trickery, alongside support from Fred, Neymar, and others
‘So we demand more dominance in this game and when, now and then, there is a trick like that it is nice as long as it’s functional, you’re not losing the ball and it’s attracting players, then it’s okay. But if it’s a trick for the sake of a trick, then I will correct him.’
On Instagram, Antony also took to defending himself, stating: ‘We are known for our art and I will not stop doing what has brought me to where I am!’
Man United play a home league game against West Ham on Sunday afternoon, before travelling to Real Sociedad for their final Europa League group stage game on Thursday.
