Dimitar Berbatov warns Man Utd's Antony to 'stop p*****g people off' after 'mocking' opponents

Dimitar Berbatov has warned that opponents will "kick the sh*t" out of Manchester United forward Antony if he continues to mock them.

Since his £86 million move from Ajax in the summer, Antony has impressed in spells. The 23-year-old features on a regular basis for Erik ten Hag's side and has so far scored seven goals in all competitions.

But the Brazilian can frustrate at times. He regularly cuts inside before shooting from range; a sequence that has become somewhat predictable in recent weeks.

And his expressive way of playing [yes I'm talking about the trademark spin] has split opinion amongst fans and pundits.

Earlier this month, former United midfielder Roy Keane warned Antony that he will "learn the hard way" if he carries on "trying to make a fool" of opponents.

And now, another ex-player has advised the Brazil international to remove certain traits in his game because he is a "great talent" with "great qualities."

Speaking to Betfred this week, Dimitar Berbatov said: “I think he’s been a good signing. However in my eyes, he does sometimes get deserved criticism because he shows off on the pitch and he tries to make the opposition look foolish in a negative way.

"Sometimes his trickery provides nothing for the team and if he can eradicate these negative elements of his game then it will greatly improve his impact on the team.

"However, if you mock your opponent then they’re going to kick the sh*t out of you and you’re not going to have the respect of the players you’re playing against.

"If he can remove these traits, then he can improve a lot more because he’s a great talent with great qualities and he scores great goals as well.

"His problem is that he can p*ss people off and he needs to correct this.”

Antony after scoring the winner against Barcelona. Image credit: PA Images

As mentioned earlier, Roy Keane made his feelings clear on Antony's playing style ahead of Manchester United's FA Cup clash against West Ham.

"I think he will have to learn the hard way," the Irishman told ITV Sport.

"Players have targeted him - we saw that at the weekend, where he is trying to make a fool of people and players have tried to go through the back of him, so he will have to learn quickly otherwise he will pick up more injuries."

Thoughts on Antony's season so far? Do you agree with Berbatov and Keane's comments?

Let us know in the comments.

Topics: Antony, Manchester United, Dimitar Berbatov, Roy Keane, Premier League

Jack Kenmare

Senior Journalist at SPORTbible with a passion for long-form journalism. Almost 10 years’ experience across online and print.

@jackkenmare_