IN the absence of a striker, a defender bailed Manchester United out.
Matthijs de Ligt’s first goal of the season is only one fewer than Benjamin Sesko’s meagre tally of two goals in 12 games.
Sesko, signed for a costly £73.62million, cost United twice in their 2-2 draw at Tottenham. He spurned opportunities at 1-0 and 1-1, getting injured in a tangle with Micky van de Ven in the process of the second chance.
His premature departure through injury in the 88th minute left United with ten men and, inevitably, they conceded again to Richarlison’s fortuitous ricochet.
De Ligt bailed out Sesko almost as much as Ruben Amorim, defensive of his five substitutions.
Amorim explained that Harry Maguire and Casemiro were hurt. Sesko actually replaced full back Noussair Mazraoui in the first change just before the hour.
The United manager should perhaps know better than to introduce the loose Manuel Ugarte in tight matches. It was Ugarte who played Richarlison onside for his 91st-minute goal.
As much as United’s grandstanding first team operations manager Acacio Valentim celebrated De Ligt’s equaliser in the technical area, it was not a result worth celebrating.
Nottingham Forest was two points dropped for United the week before and Spurs seemed poised to be three points lost until De Ligt met Bruno Fernandes’s inswinging corner in the 96th minute.
United have won one in 11 Premier League away games. Amorim mentioned earlier this month that they are a different team away from Old Trafford and they were seconds away from losing to a fractious Spurs.
BEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK
Tottenham fans booed at half-time and again in the second half at Thomas Frank’s decision to substitute Xavi Simons for Mathys Tel.
United were ahead for almost 50 minutes against a side almost mired in mutiny amid their listless home form. Spurs are now unbeaten in eight games against United.
It is reassuring for United supporters that Amorim is hitting the right notes. Unlike Valentim, he did not over-celebrate and remarked afterwards it was a missed opportunity.
Amorim felt United lacked the “bravery” to consolidate their advantage. He unwittingly contributed to that with an outright attacking change.
Sesko for Mazraoui was a substitution brimming with positive intent. Only there is little positive about Sesko.
His failure to get a shot off when played into the Tottenham area on both occasions was, again, reminiscent of Rasmus Hojlund. There are eerie parallels aplenty with those two.
Amorim saw this coming. He benched Sesko away to Spurs and Liverpool and probably would have at Manchester City had Mason Mount and Matheus Cunha not been unavailable through injury.
Director of football Jason Wilcox is quoted in press releases when United confirm a signing. Wilcox cited the “data” behind Sesko’s arrival.
That is about as close as we will get to a hint that Sesko was primarily a club-led recruit.
United needed a striker but the perfect profile – attainable, proven goalscorer, early-mid twenties and not over-priced – did not exist.
Sesko only ticks two of those boxes and his stage fright is a concern, albeit not as much as his knee injury.
Amorim has a tendency to make a mountain out of a molehill. He is so raw at post-match press conferences he can cause press officers to bury their heads in their hands.
Whether the prognosis on Sesko is good or bad, there is ample evidence to suggest Amorim favours a front three minus Sesko, with the attack sharpened by the Premier League proven Mbeumo and Cunha.
The caveat is United’s squad depth is lacking and Mbeumo and Amad could be out of play for up to a month at the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations, which gets underway on December 21.
United have been suckers for mid-season fixes up top in recent years. Odion Ighalo and Wout Weghorst were unbecoming signings.
Henrik Larsson, another mid-season striker arrival in 2006-07, is remembered wistfully by some United supporters but the truth is his impact was grossly overrated. Ighalo scored more goals for United than Larsson did.
United figures claimed last season that they did not move for a forward in the winter transfer window as they had no interest in a short-term fix.
But Sesko’s injury and AFCON threaten to expose United’s squad frailties. Joshua Zirkzee has not started a game since April but could be ushered in from the cold in winter.
Yet it was at Spurs last season that Amorim suggested Zirkzee was not an outright No.9. He’s right.
Zirkzee has not scored a Premier League goal since December 1.