Erik ten Hag fears winger Antony suffered a “serious” injury as Manchester United fulfilled the “main objective” of Champions League qualification by thrashing Chelsea.
The Red Devils sealed their return to European football’s top table with a game to spare by thrashing Frank Lampard’s wasteful Blues 4-1 at Old Trafford on Thursday evening.
Casemiro, Anthony Martial, Bruno Fernandes and Marcus Rashford scored before Joao Felix struck a late consolation on a night that saw Antony leave on a stretcher in the first half.
Asked for an update on the Brazil international, Ten Hag said: “I don’t know. Everyone has seen he came off.
“I can tell you that it’s serious but we have to wait minimum 24 hours and then we know probably more about the status of his injury.”
Ten Hag’s comments suggest Antony is in danger of missing the FA Cup final against Manchester City on June 3, with Luke Shaw also requiring assessment after being substituted with a reported back issue.
“We have to wait,” he said. “Antony looks serious but we don’t know what it is. With Shaw, we have to wait as well. After tomorrow we know more.”
Their absence would be big blows for a United side that are already without Lisandro Martinez, Marcel Sabitzer and Donny van de Beek for the FA Cup final.
Beating City would be the cherry on top of what Ten Hag believes has already been a “successful season”.
“I have always high expectations of myself and I think this club belongs in the Champions League, so you have to qualify in the first four,” he said.
“But this league is very strong, and there are many teams, many clubs, who are competing for the position and they all can do it because they have high budgets, good squads.
“We see Chelsea, they have massive, good squad with outstanding players.
“So, we are happy we are in the first four. I think we played a good season in the Premier League. I would say, a very good season.”
Put to Ten Hag that former Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said finishing in the top four was the equivalent of winning a trophy, Ten Hag said: “Oh, I think in the Premier League, yeah, it’s something like that.
“That is, I think, the main objective of the season, to get in the Champions League.
“So, therefore you have to see yourself in the top four and, as I just tried to respond, the competition is tough.
“It’s many teams with really good squads, good managers, so when you are in there you’re doing a good job and your team is playing well and performing well.
“I think this is for this moment the maximum, but we want more.”
That hunger for more means backing is required in the summer transfer window, whoever United’s owners are.
“You have to see how you come out of the transfer window,” Ten Hag added.
“But if I see now I think we need more, so I don’t have so much patience. And that is one of my mistakes.”
Chelsea were already guaranteed to finish in bottom half for the first time in 27 years before this club record 16th defeat in a 38-game Premier League season.
Interim boss Frank Lampard was understandably downtrodden in the press conference that followed his eighth loss in 10 matches in charge.
“My personal feeling? I don’t think it’s about my personal feeling, I think it’s probably about the reality of where we’re at,” he said.
“I’ve said it a lot going into the game, when things are off for a period, which has been the season for us – you can trace it back to probably pre-season – and then it’s not easy to turn it.
“Then when you get into a run-in against top clubs that are going for something, nothing’s a given in this game.
“Mixed feelings. We played OK in parts today, there was some individual performances within the game, which I think can be nice shoots for the future if they’re worked on.
“But of course the reality is when you come to Manchester United and how clinical they are in front of goal and how non-clinical we were, how we defended individually poorly in the second half, then the result can come.”
VAR Darren England discusses avoiding mistakes in interview for children’s book
The official responsible for Saturday’s VAR blunder broke his own golden rule when he wrongly ruled out Luis Diaz’s goal for Liverpool at Tottenham, a new book has revealed.
Darren England submitted to a Q&A for ‘The Football School Encyclopedia’ in which, asked ‘What is the hardest part of the job?’ he responds: “Making sure you do not make a mistake that impacts the outcome of the match.
“This is the worst thing for us.”
By a remarkable quirk of timing, the book, which is written by Alex Bellos and Ben Lyttleton and aimed at younger readers, will be published on Thursday and offers insight into one of those responsible for what veteran former referee Keith Hackett described in the Telegraph as an episode of “staggering incompetence”.
England and his VAR assistant Dan Cook have been stood down from future appointments while Professional Game Match Officials Limited chiefs undertake a full review of the “significant human error” that it concedes was made during the game.
In the Q&A, which was conducted prior to the incident, England continues: “I try to prepare the same way for every match, which is to stay calm and relaxed.
“During the match I remain very focused and just take each decision I need to make, one at a time.
“I do not worry about past decisions in the game as it is all about the next decision.”
The Football School Encyclopedia is aimed at younger readers and boasts its appeal to “anyone with a thirst for knowledge, amazing true stories, terrific trivia, brain-busting quizzes, eye-popping colour, laugh-out-loud cartoons on every page – and everything you want to know about football!”
Steven Davis vows to ‘give his all’ after being put in interim charge of Rangers
Steven Davis is determined to make the most of his chance in the Rangers hotseat as he admitted it came sooner than expected.
The 38-year-old Northern Ireland international, who had two successful spells as a player at Ibrox, was asked by the Gers board on Sunday evening to take the reins until they appoint a new permanent boss following the departure of Michael Beale.
The former Gers midfielder, who had been returning to fitness at the Ibrox club after a serious knee injury despite his contract expiring in the summer, will be assisted by fellow former Rangers players Alex Rae and Steven Smith, as well as coach Brian Gilmour and goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart.
Speaking in Cyprus ahead of the Europa League clash with Aris Limassol in Cyprus on Thursday night, Davis spoke about a “whirlwind” few days while addressing his future.
“Obviously it came out of the blue,” said Davis, who revealed Nicolas Raskin and Kemar Roofe have returned from injury.
“Sunday evening, I was just at home. It wasn’t a call that I was expecting.
“Things moved very fast and I came in on Monday morning and I started to work.
“It was James Bisgrove (chief executive) and Craig Robertson (board member) that I received the phonecall from.
“Obviously it was a bit of a whirlwind after that. I went off the phone and I had a few conversations but my decision was made very quickly.
“I was honoured by the fact the board had that conversation and my name came up and they put their trust in me to try and do this job.
“I’m going to give it my all to try and be successful.
“Listen, there’s not been any conversation in terms of a time frame. I all happened very quickly.
“I was asked to come in and take the game tonight. How things play out after that I’m not too sure.
“Regarding my feelings around it, I’ve obviously got ambitions. I did not quite expect it to happen quite as soon.
“I’m just determined really to make the most of the opportunity I’ve been given and we will see what develops from there.
“I’ve got the experience of Alex Rae in beside me and Colin Stewart and Steven Smith and Brian.
“I’ve had a lot of messages from managers I’ve worked under. Unfortunately I’ve not had a chance to respond because it’s been quite intense preparing for this game.
“I appreciate the support I’ve been given but I haven’t had the chance to reach out to anyone or felt the need to just yet.”
Beale departed the club following the 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen at Ibrox which left the Light Blues seven points behind cinch Premiership leaders Celtic, albeit they beat Real Betis 1-0 in their first Europa League fixture.
Davis insists it is time for everyone at the club to “step up”.
He said: “‘Listen, there’s a lot of character within the dressing room. There’s a lot of leaders in there as well.
“Everyone knows it’s time to step up. The great thing about football is you get another opportunity to turn things around.
“It’s not a position we want to be in. Everybody is hurting from it.
“The main focus is first and foremost getting a result on Thursday and building on it from there.
“We won our opening group game. We are in a strong position and we want to build on that
“I think for us we just want to give the boys the freedom to go out and play to their strengths really.”
England defender Leah Williamson cannot wait to get back playing after injury
England and Arsenal defender Leah Williamson has said she “is more focused than ever to be back on the pitch” after being made an OBE at Windsor Castle.
Williamson was forced to miss this summer’s World Cup, where the Lionesses finished runners-up, after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament in April.
The 26-year-old, who captained the Lionesses to the European Championship title last summer, told the PA news agency: “I’ve made some good steps. I’m running again now. We are in a great place.
“Days like today I can celebrate them properly with my family but I am more focused than ever to be back on the pitch.”
Williamson said she could feel like “a new signing for my team” when she returns from injury.
She said she had “a bit of a catch up” with the Prince of Wales after recently seeing him at a United Nations summit in New York.
Williamson became the first England women’s footballer to address the United Nations when she spoke at the Sustainability Development Goals Summit.
She said she has spoken to the Prince recently about making “my game grow” and how the women’s game can be integrated with men’s football.
When asked about speaking at the United Nations summit, she said: “We have made so much impact on the pitch and it’s obviously important we do that off the pitch as well.
“There were a lot of things I’d spoken to people about and that I really wanted to give my time to and I’ve been able to do that while I’ve been injured.
“It’s not my preferred choice, I’d love to have shin pads and boots on on the pitch but while I’m not out (there) I want to still try and have an impact and do what we do just in a different way.”
Williamson said she hopes women’s football “continues to shift” and there are more games at big stadiums so “we have a chance to prove that the game belongs there”.
But she warned women’s footballers are “running ourselves into the ground to try and compete” because of a busy schedule.
She said: “I think everybody wants to protect their bit of the game but ultimately something has to give in the end and I had team-mates this year that after a World Cup final had five days off.
“It’s not acceptable. It’s not favourable to the players, and ultimately, we’re the only ones that lose out. It’s our bodies on the line.”
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