Man Utd’s big cat! Antony explains goal celebration after netting on debut vs Arsenal

• £85m star netted on his Premier League bow
• Endeared himself to Old Trafford faithful
• Delighted with dream start in England

WHAT HAPPENED? Fresh from being lured away from Ajax in an £85 million ($98m) transfer, the Brazil international hit the ground running when finding the target inside 35 minutes of his Premier League bow. The 22-year-old forward marked that goal in style, with a big-money addition roaring out of the blocks at Old Trafford.

WHAT THEY SAID: Explaining his goal celebration, Antony has told MUTV of a dream start to life in England: “It's a friends thing. So when I score a goal, my friends know what it is, it's a tiger. They know and that's how I celebrate.

“From the moment I stepped on to the pitch, I already had goosebumps because I know how much I wanted to be here and I know how much the crowd wanted this. When I saw the ball going in, and the net shaking, I express all my feelings the way I did. Yes, it gave me goosebumps for sure.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Antony’s effort against the Gunners helped United to a 3-1 win, with a rejuvenated outfit having now secured four successive victories in the Premier League.

AND WHAT'S MORE: A South American star was included from the start by Erik ten Hag, with Cristiano Ronaldo once again having to make do with a place among the substitutes.

STORY IN THREE PHOTOS:

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DID YOU KNOW? Manchester United winger Antony - who became the 100th Brazilian to appear in the Premier League - is the youngest player from the nation to score on his debut in the competition (22y 192d).

WHAT NEXT FOR ANTONY? United will be in Europa League action against Real Sociedad on Thursday, as the group stage of that competition gets underway, before returning to a Premier League stage away at Crystal Palace on Sunday.