One Manchester United player is providing Erik ten Hag an interesting dilemma

Manchester United have dropped points twice in a row for the first time since Erik ten Hag’s first games as manager in August.

Two away fixtures in the capital against Crystal Palace and Arsenal within a three-day period were always going to be difficult for The Reds.

Late goals were conceded — an example of tiredness and fatigue creeping into the team. But there was also another interesting aspect in both games.

Ten Hag replaced Antony mid-way through the second half (70’, 71’) in both fixtures. United’s control in proceedings slipped in both fixtures. And they were punished in both fixtures.

Whilst correlation does not always mean causation, the 22-year-old winger’s attributes are important for the manager.

The £85 million man has been the subject of criticism after his big-money move to Old Trafford but he’s currently the best option to play on the right wing for Ten Hag’s side.

His ability out-of possession ensures that United’s press and defensive set-up are the best they can be. When he was brought off on Sunday, Arsenal’s left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko took control of the game until the eventual goal in the last minutes.

Antony can also be a great outlet to gain terrority for The Reds and is usually sensible in his passing choices to ensure ball retention. On the other hand, there are limitations which make Ten Hag’s decision more understandable.

Despite offering an outlet, Antony is not playing well in the transition for United. His decisions whilst counter-attacking are sometimes stifling the chances which someone like Marcus Rashford thrives on.

Antony’s final actions when United are attacking are not working out much either, which makes it a difficult conundrum for the manager, who clearly values the importance that the Brazilian brings but has still only played him for 90 minutes three times since he joined the club.

He’s often moved Bruno Fernandes to the right side when making this change, which is not ideal for the player or team. It seems that there is not yet trust to bring in Faundo Pellistri despite an impressive debut against Charlton Athletic.

The return of Jadon Sancho will help this situation, however, with a more straightforward replacement – who is also known for impressive ball retention skills. Sancho is also a better decision-maker in transitional moments but will need to find form after only returning to team training last week.

Ultimately, United are competing and playing better football with Antony on the pitch currently. But there are continual question marks about his individual impact on the ball. Some competition from a rejuvenated Sancho could help Ten Hag with this dilemma after two negative results showed that United cannot concede control in the late stages of games without slip-ups.