Man Utd boss Ten Hag responds to Rashford’s decision to hand penalty to Antony

Man Utd boss Erik ten Hag reckons it is “good for the team” that Marcus Rashford decided to give Antony a penalty in their 7-0 win over Barnsley.

After bouncing back from consecutive defeats to Brighton and Liverpool with a 3-0 win over Southampton at the weekend, the Red Devils thrashed Barnsley on Tuesday night .

Alejandro Garnacho, Rashford and Christian Eriksen all scored a brace each on top of Antony’s penalty to breeze past the South Yorkshire outfit.

Man Utd duo Antony and Rashford have both been in bad form over the last season or so,  but the latter decided to not be greedy and hand his Brazilian team-mate an opportunity to get off the mark for the season.

On Rashford handing the ball to Antony to take the penalty, Ten Hag told a press conference: “They are very ambitious, very hungry. But they also give each other the ball, they want to give assists and give each other the opportunity to score a goal like with the penalty.

“Antony needs some confidence then Rashy gives the pen to Antony which is good for the team when they are together.”

Ten Hag continued: “The goals do not only have to come from Rashford. But I know from my first season, when he scores it is always more easy.

“When you have a player in your squad who is a guarantee for goals, goals make the difference in football, we all know that. We can do a lot of good things between the boxes but football matches are decided in the box.”

Asked about Rashford’s confidence, Ten Hag said: “Confidence is a big part of it. It’s not everything, there are also other parts, but confidence is a big part.

“And I think Rashford is a big guy. He’s scored so many goals, he’s one in the list of (current) United goalscorers, he is on top of it, so he is a big guy.

“But you are as good as your last game and every time you have to prove it.

“But I have even seen the biggest guys, the biggest football players, when they are not performing and when strikers are not scoring, then they drop in confidence. It doesn’t matter who.”

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Asked if it was the perfect night having comprehensively beaten his previous 4-1 best, Ten Hag said: “Yes, you can say (that) – not for me but for the team it’s the perfect night.

“I think we could do everything what we planned to do. I think how we win, next round, scored some great goals, entertained the fans, we worked on our game model, so we are happy.

“I was not devastated after Liverpool (3-0 defeat). I am not now celebrating.

“We are in a journey and we will see where we are in May because then we have to be good, and then you have to be at your best and, in the meantime, every time progress the team.”