Manchester [UK], May 6 : Manchester United winger Antony revealed the reason behind his Sonic celebration at Old Trafford in front of the Stretford End when he scored the opener in the Red Devils 1-1 draw against Burnley.
Last week, the Reds were hunting for a goal for the majority of the game and Antony slotted the ball into the back of the net in the 79th minute to send the hosts one up in the game.
After scoring the goal, Antony placed the ball underneath his shirt, collected a Sonic the Hedgehog toy from a photographer and held it in the air.
In an interview with Manchester United TV, Antony revealed the reason behind his celebration and said, "First of all, I'm really happy to be able to score and dedicate it to my wife and my daughter, who is on her way. She arrives in the world next month, in good health we hope."
"The Sonic celebration is because my son really likes Sonic. I told my friend to bring Sonic in his bag in case I scored, as I had a feeling I was going to score. It was for me to get Sonic and dedicate it to my son as he is a big fan," he added.
A soft toy being used for celebrating a goal is not a common occurrence at the Old Trafford. But for the 24-year-old winger, it has become a part of his pre-match preparations.
"He's [Antony's son] got this new routine for every game of always putting a toy in my washbag that I have to take with me. I always take a toy with me for him, and I dedicated the goal to him, a Sonic super fan," Antony said.
Manchester United will face Crystal Palace on Monday night, to keep their hopes of sealing a spot in European football alive for next season.