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After another bad start to the Premier League season compounded by an injury crisis and damage to the club's image following their handling of the Mason Greenwood situation, the last thing Manchester United needed was fresh allegations of assault against Antony.
The latest accusations against the Brazilian winger, which he denies, have shocked the football world and United fans, leading to yet more criticism of how the club deals with serious allegations against their players.
The saga has also impacted the team directly as United have decided to give Antony a leave of absence while he deals with the allegations, leaving Erik ten Hag without a player who he pushed the club to sign for £85 million ($106m) little more than a year ago.
Even though Antony had not scored or provided an assist this season, he is highly valued by Ten Hag due to his defensive work and he had started all four of United's Premier League games. However, his absence presents a big opportunity to other members of Ten Hag's squad, who now have a chance to prove their worth and seize the vacant position in the starting XI.
GOAL assesses the manager's options ahead of a crucial run of matches, with United hosting Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday before kicking off their Champions League campaign against Bayern Munich on Wednesday...