Antony's Possible Return and Manchester United's Challenges

 Antony's Possible Return and Manchester United's Challenges

Antony's Possible Return and Manchester United's Challenges(Image-Getty)

Manchester United's winger, Antony, may make a return for Tuesday's Champions League clash against Galatasaray, according to manager Erik ten Hag. The 23-year-old Brazilian has been sidelined from play for United since the first week of September due to ongoing investigations into assault allegations made by his former girlfriend, Gabriela Cavallin. Antony denies any wrongdoing. Last week, the Premier League club confirmed Antony's return to training after initially granting him a period of absence.

Ten Hag stated, "Antony will be in consideration. Yesterday was his first time back in team training. We have final training and then we make a decision." He further clarified that Antony had cooperated fully and had not been charged with any wrongdoing.

Additionally, Ten Hag revealed that Argentine defender Lisandro Martinez would require surgery for a foot injury, which would keep him sidelined for an extended period. 

Manchester United enters the game against Galatasaray after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace on Saturday, which dropped them to 10th place in the Premier League standings. This loss marked their fourth league defeat of the season, making it their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1989-90.

Despite their recent struggles, Ten Hag expressed optimism, stating that the team is "moving forward" and emphasizing the need to make adjustments due to shortages in the squad, such as the absence of a left-sided full-back.

Manchester United currently occupies the bottom position in Group A of the Champions League after suffering a 4-3 defeat to Bayern Munich in their opening match last month. However, defender Raphael Varane believes the team has the quality to compete for the Champions League title, saying, "We have the quality in the squad to win competitions. We have to move forward and improve." Varane acknowledged the difficulty of the competition but expressed confidence in the team's ability to compete with the best teams in the world.