Manchester United won the Carabao Cup 7-0 over woeful Barnsley to advance to the next round, thrilling supporters with skillful attacking football.

Naturally, there will be many heroes—especially in the offensive sense—when the victory is that convincing.

This game was the perfect example of Erik ten Hag’s theory that goals should flow like ketchup once they are scored, especially for a club that struggles to score goals.

Amidst all the chaos, Antony—who was mocked and lacking confidence—had the kind of game that he most needed on the field.

Antony’s game vs BarnsleyDuring the first fifteen minutes of the match, Manchester United had a few careless plays, Antony wasn’t seen much, and Barnsley threatened in short bursts.

Following Rashford’s goal, which broke the dam, Antony began to act confidently.

With his first touch, he broke free to take the ball away from the goalkeeper and win a penalty. He suddenly stood up to accept it and converted, breaking Barnsley’s heart.

He would never find himself on the scoreboard again, but his side was winning and he was using his skills to show off his intimidating qualities from his time at Ajax.The deft touch-and-move offensive moves, crazy dribbles that lift the stands, and deft passing to shatter deep blocks were all positive indicators.

Having participated fully in the attacking phase with 81 touches and 90% passing accuracy, he finished the game with four of his five shots finding the mark.

The thing that struck me the most, maybe, was how confidently he approached the ball after a while.

Although Antony has never been a dynamic winger who outpaces his opponents, United is greatly encouraged by the revival of his skillful play.

A challenge lies ahead.The strength of the opposition will be discussed while applauding Antony because you can only defeat what is in front of you. However, victories like these haven’t come easily for a while.

Given the knowledge of the outcome and the advantage of hindsight, Coventry’s previous season comes to mind, thus the outcome here and Antony’s performance shouldn’t be disregarded.

Having said that, it is indisputable that Barnsley faced difficult opposition, and the difficulties that lie ahead won’t be any simpler.

Nevertheless, self-assurance is crucial in football, and a player who can restore his confidence in his play will benefit the team no matter who the competition is.

The players will be thinking about getting revenge when United plays their hate team, Crystal Palace, away from home. Crystal Palace defeated United 4-0 the previous season.

They couldn’t have asked for a better pre-match match, and with players like Antony making an impression, the Manchester United team suddenly appears to be much stronger than just the starting eleven.