"This is the attitude he needs" - Erik ten Hag praises under-fire Manchester United star after 2-1 Chelsea win 

Erik ten Hag lauded winger Antony's improvement after his performance in Manchester United's 2-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford on Wednesday, December 6.

The Red Devils put in a good performance to beat the Blues in the Premier League on Wednesday. Scott McTominay opened the scoring in the 19th minute as he smashed home from close range as the ball fell to him after a save from Robert Sanchez.

Cole Palmer equalised for Chelsea in the 45th minute with an accurate finish past Andre Onana. McTominay, though, scored the winner for the hosts in the 69th minute as he connected with a header from an Alejandro Garnacho cross.

While McTominay understandably took all the plaudits, Antony also put in an excellent shift for Manchester United. He played the entire 90 minutes, made two key passes, took two shots, and won 8/13 ground duels. He also won a penalty in the ninth minute after being fouled by Enzo Fernandez but Bruno Fernandes' shot was saved from the spot by Sanchez.

After the game, Ten Hag praised Antony's progression and attitude, saying (via Metro):

"I agree, I think he’s progressing. This is the attitude and what he needs.

"It’s what he has to contribute to the team. He was very bright, he got very good positions on the ball, he also make very good decisions, he is stepping up and he has to build on this."

Antony has yet to make a goal contribution for Manchester United in 15 games across competitions this season.

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Erik ten Hag on Manchester United being wasteful in Chelsea win

The Red Devils put in one of their best performances this season against Chelsea in the Premier League at Old Trafford on Wednesday. A 2-1 scoreline arguably flatters the Blues as Manchester United had multiple chances to score in the first 30 minutes, including a penalty.

After the game, Erik ten Hag was asked if it was frustrating to see his side miss the chances despite eventually winning the game against Chelsea. He replied (via manutd.com):

“Yeah, I think so, but not a frustration. In the end, we won. But we could have made our life much easier, when you could have scored three times in the first 30 minutes, because I think we started very good, very proactive, very dynamic, very brave. And we created a lot of chances in that moment. And we could have gone up with two or three goals.”

Manchester United had 45% possession but 28 attempts on goal with nine being on target as compared to Chelsea's 3/13 being on target. They are sixth in the table, nine points behind leaders Arsenal while the Blues are 10th, eight points behind United.