Manchester United are facing concerns over the fitness of Antony and Luke Shaw as they prepare for the FA Cup final against Manchester City. Both players sustained injuries in the match against Chelsea on Thursday, May 25.
During the first half of the game, Antony had to be substituted after a collision with Trevoh Chalobah in the 24th minute. The Brazilian forward was stretchered off the pitch, visibly distressed. Marcus Rashford replaced him and later scored his 30th goal of the season.
At halftime, Luke Shaw was also forced to leave the field. Tyrell Malacia came on as his replacement. According to Sky Sports, Shaw had a "slight back injury."
Both Antony and Shaw were likely to be included in the starting lineup for manager Erik ten Hag's team in the upcoming FA Cup final against Manchester City. However, their availability for the highly anticipated Wembley showdown, scheduled for June 3, is now in serious doubt.
Antony's injury appeared to be severe, as he held his face in pain while being carried off the field. Ten Hag was seen offering his support, patting the Brazilian on the stomach before he was taken to the locker rooms for further assessment.
After the match, Ten Hag provided an update on Antony's condition, stating, "Everyone has seen he came off. I can tell you that it’s serious, but we have to wait a minimum of 24 hours and then we know probably more about the status of his injury."
In addition to Antony and Shaw, Manchester United is already dealing with the absence of Lisandro Martinez and Marcel Sabitzer for the upcoming cup final. However, United's convincing 4-1 victory over Chelsea secured them a place in next season's Champions League.