<<Print>>

Manchester United winger Antony has criticised former players of the club for not offering constructive comments or asking if he is OK.

United paid an initial £82m to Ajax for Antony in September 2022 but he has failed to find top form since then.

 
The Brazilian is also the subject of a police investigation into a series of allegations of domestic abuse.

Former United skipper Gary Neville has criticised Antony during Sky Sports broadcasts.

Neville called the 23-year-old "embarrassing" for petulantly lashing out at Manchester City's Jeremy Doku in the latter stages of October's Manchester derby defeat at Old Trafford.

In a written interview with YouTube channel The United Stand, Antony said he feels the criticism he has received from the club's former players is unfair.

"Today, I see criticism coming from former club players and other people in the media, who unreasonably express their opinions and influence thousands of fans, sometimes even when I do not play," he said.

"But I've never seen them give constructive criticism, which will help me be a better professional.

"None of them have ever sent me a message to see how I am feeling, especially during this period of turbulence that I am going through.

"The 'digital court' is ruining lives; contexts are left aside, and the truth no longer matters."

Though Antony refereed to "a period of turbulence" in his life, the domestic abuse allegations he faces were not directly discussed in the interview.

Brazil banished him from their squad earlier this year in response to the allegations, while he was suspended by United before later returning to first-team training.

Antony came on for Marcus Rashford 29 minutes from the end of last Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United.

The former Ajax man, who played under Red Devils boss Erik ten Hag for Ajax, is yet to score or assist a goal this season.

"I am silently rebuilding myself, and I know that I will be able to be in my best physical and mental shape and overcome all these barriers and challenges that are in front of me, because it has always been like this in my life," said Antony.

"No-one has ever given me anything, I have always fought hard for everything I achieved. I would like to know how these people who make these unfair and malicious criticisms fared in my place."

United and manager Ten Hag are under significant pressure having lost 10 out of 21 games in all competitions this season.

They have slipped to seventh in the Premier League and are in danger of missing out on qualification for the knockout rounds of the Champions League, needing to beat Bayern Munich at Old Trafford in their final group stage match while hoping Copenhagen and Galatasaray draw.

"The season is not as good as we wanted - we are unstable," added Antony.

"But we lost a lot of injured players, fundamental pieces for Erik ten Hag's chess. With the return of part of the squad, we will improve, and results will improve."