‘He could be a huge player for this club’ – Paul Scholes lauds Antony’s progress and addresses Arjen Robben comparisons

Paul Scholes lauded Antony’s progress in a Manchester United shirt, and the club legend believes “he could be a huge player for this club.”

Scholes and Owen Hargreaves were assessing the Brazilian’s rise to prominence in recent weeks and both were excited by what the future holds.

Speaking to BT Sport ahead of United’s Europa League quarter-final second leg against Sevilla, Scholes said: “In the last couple of weeks, since that Everton game at home, he’s become a different player.

“I felt he became a little bit predictable and was always cutting in on the left-hand side with his left foot. He needed to add different dimensions to his game. I think he did that in the Everton game, when he started to run in behind Ben Godfrey.

“He did it two or three times, when he was clean through on goal and he didn’t quite get it. He started to beat people on the outside and now his confidence is there. He’s starting to look like the player we all expected. He’s still going to do his silly stuff, I’m sure he is, but we don’t mind if he’s producing goals.

“He needs more of those goals, he needs to get himself into the box more. But when the ball’s the other side, he will score a lot of goals for this team in the next couple of years.”

The Red Devils legend addressed Erik ten Hag’s comments comparing Antony to Arjen Robben in more detail, and believes the sky is the limit for what the Brazilian could achieve.

“I think he’s got a bit of a way to go, as we all know what a player Arjen Robben was,” Scholes said. “I can see where he’s coming from though and he’s definitely got potential.

“Arjen Robben could beat people on the inside, the outside and could score all types of goals. This lad, he’s 23 years of age, came from a different country and it was going to take him a bit of time to settle in.

“But now and in the next two or three years, he could be a huge player for this club.”