Brazil-born forward and former Man Utd winger, Antony Matheus dos Santos, has addressed concerns about his slump in form at a point during his stint at Old Trafford.

Signed from AFC Ajax in August 2022 for a reported fee of £85 million (approximately €100 million or $100 million at the time), including add-ons, Antony had struggled for form, scoring only 12 goals in 95 appearances for United.

Addressing the possible factors that may have affected his stint at Old Trafford, during an engagement with ESPN Brasil, Antony admitted that his “off-field matters” had a huge impact on his form. He lauded his performances, highlighted his abilities, and expressed confidence in his skills, while appreciating his time at Manchester United as a stage for self-discovery.

"I think off-field matters affected me a lot in my performance. I know my potential, I know my qualities, I didn't play in a World Cup for nothing, I didn't return to the national team for nothing. I also take responsibility for it not working out, for not performing as I wanted. But I always try to see the bright side of things. Going through this entire process, this time at United, was necessary to see myself."

He also opened up about the challenges he faced during his final days at Old Trafford. The Brazilian revealed that, before his loan move to Real Betis in January, he often felt disrespected, with some people being rude toward him. According to him, it reached a point where people would walk past without even greeting him.

Antony detailed that, "Look, I'm not the kind of guy who gets involved in controversies, who names people, in fact, I won't mention anyone's name here. But I think there was a bit of a lack of respect there, even a bit of rudeness too, with no one giving you a good morning, a good afternoon”.

He continued that "Not even that. But, anyway, that's in the past; I won't give much importance to these things. Now I'm here, at Betis, I'm living here, that's the most important thing for me."

Antony’s dip in form affected his play time under their new coach, Ruben Amori. He was reportedly excluded from Ruben Amorim’s squad, making him an automatic member of a group dubbed the “bomb squad” alongside Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Højlund.

In between returning to United and re-joining Betis, Antony was reportedly forced to train away from teammates by Ruben Amorim and was not included in the squad for the club's preseason tour.

In light of this, he expressed his desire to move. Multiple outlets, including SPORTbible and Relevo, reported that Manchester United had reached a verbal agreement with Real Betis for Antony to join on loan until the end of the season.

The deal, which was initially structured without a buy option, eventually turned into a permanent move after the Brazil international joined Betis on loan last season before completing a €22 million ($25.6m) permanent move in the summer. Antony snubbed multiple offers from other clubs, including Saudi and Brazilian sides, as he held out for a permanent move to Real Betis.

Manchester United signed Antony Matheus dos Santos from AFC Ajax in August 2022 for a reported fee of £85 million (approximately €100 million or $100 million at the time), including add-ons. However, Antony had struggled for form, scoring only 12 goals in 95 appearances for United.

Subsequently, he was reportedly excluded from Ruben Amorim’s squad, making him an automatic member of a group dubbed the “bomb squad” alongside Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Højlund.

In between returning to United and re-joining Betis, Antony was reportedly forced to train away from teammates by Ruben Amorim and was not included in the squad for the club's preseason tour.

In light of this, he expressed his desire to move. Multiple outlets, including SPORTbible and Relevo, reported that Manchester United had reached a verbal agreement with Real Betis for Antony to join on loan until the end of the season.

The deal, which was initially structured without a buy option, eventually turned into a permanent move after the Brazil international joined Betis on loan last season before completing a €22 million ($25.6m) permanent move in the summer. Antony snubbed multiple offers from other clubs, including Saudi and Brazilian sides, as he held out for a permanent move to Real Betis.

Antony’s admitting that his off-field lifestyle largely impacted his form comes a few days after former Man City Jack Grealish admitted to the same.

Initially listed as a starter in Pep’s squad, particularly in key matches, Grealish began losing his spot.

Leading to his starting in just seven matches out of 38 Premier League matches in the 2024/25 season, with two youngsters, Jeremy Doku and Phil Foden, taking his spot with more energy and finishing.

Pep, during a media conference, addressed concerns raised about Grealish’s limited time, and he said,

“You have to fight with Savinho—the impact he has had this season is amazing. Jeremy Doku is incredible, a top player as well. Phil Foden can play on the left as well; that's the point. It's never against a player from my point of view. It's OK, accept the challenge, prove you are the best.”

He also added:

“I want much more… This is the level I would like to see from Jack. But it has not been like that”.While he never publicly addressed Jack’s dip in form to his off-field lifestyle, it is reported that Guardiola warned Grealish privately about his off-field activities, suggesting they could affect his form and future at the club, which subsequently did.

In an interview with SkySports, Tim Sherwood, the British player, admitted that his off-field activities were part of the decline in performance, but stressed that it was not entirely the case.

Living a more balanced life could have produced a different story, he said, but his timing was not always the best. And his off-field lifestyle, partying, and trips are to enjoy life to the fullest.

"People go, 'he likes to go out, he likes to party,' and I do. I want to be able to live my life and enjoy myself, but obviously, there's a time and a place to do that. Sometimes, I'll be honest with you, I probably haven't picked the right times. At City, I didn't help myself at times, I'll openly say that, but then I don't think it was all down to that, " Grealish said.

However, his main reason for leaving Etihad was that he wanted to feel loved again. He felt disconnected while at Man City, which in turn affected his effectiveness, as he is at his best when he feels loved.

"I'm at my best when I feel loved. You know, I'm quite vulnerable off the pitch, and I wanted to go somewhere to just feel the love again and just wake up with a smile on my face and want to play again," he added.

While at Man City, some pundits blame his slump in form on Pep, for trying to mould Grealish into a possession-heavy, disciplined winger, which clashed with his natural free-flowing style. Analysts noted he became a “shadow of his best self” as he was asked to prioritise ball retention over flair.

However, under the leadership of Moyes, Everton’s coach, Jack says the tactical freedom he’s found has reignited his spark.

"I don't mean this in an arrogant way, but I do like it when managers say, 'you're the footballer, go and do what you want to do.'

"Obviously, you have your jobs. You have your roles to do without the ball and set pieces, but he says to me, 'when you get the ball, just go and do what you want to do.'"