Manchester United were back to winning ways in the Europa League night with a 3-0 win over Sheriff Tiraspol, taking their unbeaten streak to seven across all competitions.
However, the biggest talking point on the night wasn’t Erik ten Hag‘s run of results but rather a moment from one of his new signings, Antony, who pulled off a rather fun albeit pretty pointless skill.
lt got a cheer from large sections of the Old Trafford crowd but the reaction online was rather different.
As you can see, not only did commentator Ian Darke quip that the skill looked like something “out of Strictly Come Dancing“, but co-commentator and one-time Red Devil Robbie Savage dubbed the move as “quite embarrassing, actually”.
Trademark move or not, the fact he put his pass out of play immediately after didn’t help either.
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Former United players and pundits Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves didn’t exactly give a glowing review of Antony’s showboating either, remarking that the skill was “ridiculous” and didn’t really achieve anything, with Scholes adding that he didn’t do much else in the game either.
"It's not skill or entertainment, it's just being a clown!" 😂
Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves joke about who wants to see Antony's showboating antics… 👀
While the pair admitted that you can afford to do a little bit of showboating and try creative things on a pitch when you’re three or four-nil up, Antony did this when the scoreline was still 0-0.
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Moreover, some have suggested that Antony’s spin was somewhat disrespectful to the away team who travelled all the way from Moldova for what, no doubt, would have felt like a big occasion on their list of fixtures this season.
Pundits over in the Sky studios were equally displeased with the ‘Antony spin’:
"The most POINTLESS bit of skill I've ever seen!" 😳
On the other hand, many Reds fans and neutral football fans alike got a laugh out of it, branding it as nothing more than a moment of entertainment and joking that they hope he does daft stuff like that “every week”.
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Some even pointed out that he drew defenders’ attention while Casemiro made his run. That would be nice if the pass had actually come off.
Either way, as you might expect, people on social media have had their fair share of fun following the inexplicable bit of skill:
Though his face gave awaysaid plenty at the time,ten Hag did address the moment, admitting that while “a trick like that is nice” it should be used so long as its “functional, you’re not losing the ball” or you’re “attracting players — then it’s ok”.
Nevertheless, the Dutchman went on to say that he will “correct him” in the future when it comes to showing his flair on the pitch.
The 22-year-old Brazilian has made an otherwise positive start to life in Manchester, having scored several goals already and even making history with his finish against Everton.
Luke Littler is holding a meet-and-greet this weekend – but not exactly where you’d expect
Danny Jones
Young darts sensation Luke Littler has about as big a 12 months as a professional could hope for and many of those who don’t even watch ‘The Arrows’ now know his name, so much so that he’s already holding a meet-and-greet that is selling quicker than you say ‘180!’
Warrington locals are set to welcome Luke ‘The Nuke’ back to his hometown but it’s fair to say the event is taking place exactly where you would have expected.
The 2024 World Series, Premier League of Darts and Players Championship winner’s fame and reputation have continued to skyrocket ever since his debut, so he’d easily have fans lining up pretty much anywhere, especially in the WA postcode.
Nevertheless, hordes of kids looking to follow in his footsteps and bolster a new generation of youth darts players can attend Luke Littler’s meet and greet at none other than… a Smyths Toys Superstore.
Credit: Smyths Toys
As you do.
Located on the JunctionNINE Retail Park, Warrington Symths Toys will see the 17-year-old taking photos with fans, chatting to budding darts hopefuls and, as it turns out, show off his new personal collection.
Yes, while there will be plenty of wholesome selfies and wide-eyed little kids looking to meet their local hero, Littler and his team chose this particular location as Smyths Toys will be stocking his new range of Target Darts.
Once again, his meteoric rise has seen a huge uptake in young people wanting to try their hands at the sport, with the official Luke Littler Cabinet Set even being named as the Judge’s Pick for ‘Best Gift for Teens’ at the 2024 Christmas Wishlist Awards.
Beyond that, the shop also has the highly sought-after Luke Littler Magnetic Dartboard set for the little one, as well as the Luke Littler Steel-Tip Brass Darts, designed in celebration of the 17-year-old’s tremendous performance at the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship.
Speaking ahead of the event, Littler said: “I’m really excited to meet everyone at Smyths Toys in Warrington this Saturday! It’s been an incredible year for me, and I can’t wait to connect with fans in my hometown and inspire the next generation.”
Adam Thompson, Head of Marketing at Target Darts added: “We’re thrilled to host this fantastic meet-and-greet event with Luke Littler. Luke has had an extraordinary year and we’re proud to celebrate his success with this special opportunity for fans to engage with him…
“It’s a great way to inspire young players and bring the darts community together and we can’t wait to see everyone in Warrington!”
The meet and greet will kick off from 1pm on Saturday, 5 October but you’ll have to be quick if you want to secure a spot. However, the store will still be open between the regular hours (9am-8pm), so you can still try your luck to try and catch a glimpse of ‘The Nuke’ and pick up a darts set or two.
Gymshark is set to open its first Manchester shop at The Trafford Centre
Danny Jones
Viral fitness brand Gymshark continues to go from strength to strength as they are now set to open a brand-new shop at The Trafford Centre next year.
One of the most well-known gym-wear brands on the planet right now, the company started by a student in the confines of his garage and bedroom back in 2012 is now opening just their third-ever brick-and-mortar location in the ever-busy shopping mall as their ‘IRL’ presence grows.
While it began as an online-only brand and will remain one of the most popular digital retailers for athletic apparel, with more than 10 million customers and a following of nearly double that amount on social media, it’s a pretty safe bet this store will be a welcome addition to The Trafford Centre.
Scheduled for a summer 2025 opening, this will be Gymshark‘s first location in the North so, naturally, they simply had to pick Manchester.
Gymshark Women is its own sub-brand.A glimpse at one of their two existing London locations.(Credit: Supplied)
Set to open a 7,500-square-foot unit on Upper Peel Avenue, the new Gymshark site will become home to all of their high-quality activewear, featuring a vast range of sizes, colours and styles to suit all.
There is also set to be a number of exclusives available only at the Gymshark Trafford Centre.
Building on an already strong and long-standing relationship with the city – with Manchester hosting one of the first-ever community meet-ups in the city during their early days and greeting thousands of gymgoers to Manchester Central in 2023 at its first post-Covid event, Lift MCR – it’s a natural marriage.
Having also recently opened a small space in Selfridges in Trafford Centre to great acclaim, General Manager of Wholesale and Retail, Hannah Mercer, says: “We’re a Brummie brand, but we look to Manchester as something of a big brother with its heritage for graft, discipline and authenticity.
She goes on to add: “It’s why we’ve had so many wonderful moments in the city […] whenever we’ve landed here, it’s been incredible. We’ve also done so much in Manchester because we know how passionate the community here is about the gym and fitness […] In short, we love Manchester and can’t wait to open our doors to our Northern community next year.”
When taking into account their ever-growing workforce and group of influencers and/or sponsored athletes, not to mention they now reach a total of 230 countries, it’s fair to say this will be a very popular arrival to the nearby shopping complex.
Simon Layton, Centre Director at Trafford Centre, said of the announcement:“Gymshark is an impressive British success story with a global following, so we’re excited to welcome their first Northern, standalone store right here at Trafford Centre.
“With the activewear and athleisure market continuing to thrive, we’re confident that Gymshark will prove to be extremely popular with our visitors.”
As founder Ben Francis reiterates with every evolution of the company, “Gymshark isn’t a sports brand or an athleisure brand, it’s a gym brand. [It] prides itself on being the brand for creating the tools to help everyone achieve their very best in the gym, not just from the clothing it sells, but from the community it has built around it.”
Danny Jones -
28th October 2022 
