Erik ten Hag feels Marcus Rashford ‘encouraged’ his teammates during Manchester United’s 4-3 FA Cup victory over Liverpool on Sunday and argued that Antony is starting to reach the same levels he achieved at Ajax.
Despite missing a big opportunity right at the end of normal time, Rashford scored in extra-time to make it 3-3 as the Red Devils secured their place in the semi-finals, before Amad Diallo scored the winning goal in the 121st minute.
The England international has faced lots of criticism this season but Ten Hag praised his player after United’s victory at Old Trafford.
‘Rashford is strong, he keeps going, usually he finishes those moments but he kept going for another chance,’ Ten Hag told ITV.
‘That encouraged the other players. We have a team that is for the future. Coming up are players who are developing very well like Diallo, Garnacho, and Mainoo.’
Ten Hag also praised Antony, who scored in the win over Liverpool, getting his first goal at Old Trafford in over a year.
‘It’s very important for him,’ Ten Hag told beIN Sports. ‘He struggled so much. First part, he was not himself, he’s responsible for that.
‘And then he lost confidence, and now he has to fight back. We see through the last two weeks, he’s returning. I see in training, I see the Antony I was used to work with at Ajax, and also used to work in the first weeks here.
‘He has to fight back, and I’m sure he will do, because you’ve seen that goal. But not only in the goal. When he’s going to the left full-back position, he’s defending very well. In certain systems, he can play from that side.
‘He’s not a defending player, don’t get me wrong, because we have seen, he can score goals.’
