startling 7-0 loss to fierce rivals for Manchester United An ineffective performance on the flanks by summer acquisition Antony against Liverpool once again failed to live up to his lofty £86 million price tag.

Although the 23-year-old cannot be held responsible for the outrageous nature of that sum, it is reasonable to expect more from a player who, while at Ajax, contributed to 46 goals in only 82 games. There hasn’t been much evidence that the forward can repeat those feats in the Premier League.

The former Sao Paolo player, who hasn’t scored in the Premier League since October, has shown a glaring lack of talent in the final third so far during his time in England. That was particularly clear at Anfield, where the wide player produced a profusion of “dire crosses,” in the words of Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

The struggling asset’s problems were made clear by the fact that none of his five crosses were completed and he turned the ball over 18 times in his 41 touches, earning him a pitiful match rating of of 5.7 on Sofascore.

While analyst Micah Richards remarked that it appeared as though United were “playing with ten men because Antony wasn’t doing his thing down that side,” journalist Nathan Ridley added that the 5 foot 9 trickster was also relatively “terrible” defensively after winning only two of his 13 duels.

The 15-cap dynamo will undoubtedly be replaced in the upcoming games due to his lack of effort, however Erik ten Hag’s options on the right wing are quite limited given that both Anthony Elanga and Facundo Pellistri have recently been mostly disregarded.

Yet, with adolescent sensation Ethan Williams presently making his mark at the academy level, a substitute possibility in that capacity may have materialized in the young ranks.

Who is Ethan Williams, a rising talent at Man United?

The young Englishman, who has already proven his talent with his outstanding performances in the youth setup, will probably want to emulate Alejandro Garnacho, who is now a regular member of the first team, by making an impression on Ten Hag.

This season, the Manchester native, who can play on either flank, has amassed five goals and six assists in just 15 U18 Premier League games. He has been on a recent scoring tear, contributing to six goals in his last five league games.

Williams was able to contribute an assist during the club’s FA Youth Cup run, despite the Red Devils failing to repeat their success from last season after losing to Stoke City. This includes a goal and an assist in the most recent 3-3 draw with rival Leeds United.

The young wonder has also occasionally played as a full-back this year, which may indicate that if he is selected any time soon, he will be able to provide Antony with more defensive qualities.

The talented youngster was spotted participating in first-team training back in November, which may be an indication that a senior bow may not be too far away given his recent form, which has definitely got the notice of Ten Hag and company.