“We need Ben to be a better team.”
Ruben Amorim was speaking to reporters after Benjamin Sesko had limped off in the closing stages of Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The United head coach saying that Sesko is already an important component in his side may have surprised some given the 22-year-old striker has registered two goals and one assist across 11 Premier League appearances. It has been a mixed beginning to life in England for Sesko, who is finding his feet at a steady, if not spectacular, pace after his €76.5million (£66.4m; $89.1m) arrival from RB Leipzig.
A spell on the sidelines could slow that adaptation and force Amorim to find a way to play without him. Sesko, a second-half substitute at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, went off in the 88th minute after suffering an injury to his left knee following a fine, potentially goal-saving tackle from Spurs defender Micky van de Ven.
The Slovenia striker has withdrawn from international duty and, although United are optimistic the injury is not serious, Amorim will no doubt be considering what his alternatives are before his side return to Premier League action against Everton on November 24.
Amorim suggested in his post-match press conference on Saturday that United could even be active in the transfer market in January but given their significant spending last summer and the need to invest in other areas to improve the squad, spending heavily on an additional striker appears unlikely.
Either way, there are alternatives in the squad already. Sesko has started just six of United’s 11 league games for two reasons. He was a substitute for the first three Premier League games after his arrival, which was late enough in the window for him to miss pre-season at the club.
Amorim has also left him out of his XI for tactical reasons away at Anfield last month and at Tottenham on Saturday, opting to play without a traditional striker in both games. At Liverpool, Amorim did not want the 6ft 5in (196cm) Sesko to provide a focal point for any direct balls, instead prioritising a scrap for second balls in the opponent’s half from Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount. It worked and Sesko came on late in the game to vary their play in the 2-1 victory.
At Tottenham, Amad was pushed further forward from wing-back to play as one of Amorim’s attacking midfielders, with Sesko again dropping to the bench, Cunha going through the middle and Mbeumo switching to the left side.
It didn’t work as well. Mbeumo scored from an Amad cross but was less of a threat on the left, while Cunha put in one of his poorer displays since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in the summer. Pushing the Brazilian further forward made it more difficult for him to drop in and carry the ball, or pull defenders out of position.
Mbeumo (Cameroon) and Amad (Ivory Coast) will also be unavailable soon as they head off to the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in late December with a final on January 18. Noussair Mazraoui, who stood in at right wing-back for Amad, will also head to the tournament, which is being staged in his homeland of Morocco.
Bruno Fernandes could push further forward to play in the No 10 role alongside Mount, with Cunha leading the line. Amorim has frequently said Kobbie Mainoo is competing with Fernandes for the midfield spot alongside Casemiro, so using United’s club captain higher up could open the door to more minutes for the England international. Yet Mount’s ability to stay fit remains in question, and it would limit Amorim’s alternatives on the bench.
The other option is turning to the forgotten striker in the squad, Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman has played 90 minutes in total this season across five appearances, including an eight-minute cameo in the Carabao Cup defeat against Grimsby Town back in August.
He has looked understandably rusty and off the pace, given his lack of time in competitive action. With the World Cup to come next summer, the Netherlands international may push for a January move to improve his chances of making Ronald Koeman’s squad, but any hint of a long-term injury to Sesko would close that exit route.
Zirkzee has not scored in the Premier League for nearly 12 months. Since that double in the 4-0 victory against Everton — still the biggest winning margin for United under Amorim — he has started just nine Premier League games. He did score an important goal away at Real Sociedad in the first leg of the Europa League last 16 and against Lyon from the bench in the first leg of the quarter-final before a thigh injury curtailed his campaign. He returned to make a late substitute appearance in the final against Tottenham.
Another injury at the start of pre-season saw him miss most of the summer’s preparations, which will also have contributed to his lack of minutes this term. He is an option but he is less likely to be sharp.
Sesko’s potential absence may open up space on the bench for younger players. Chido Obi, the teenage striker signed from Arsenal in 2024, has been focusing on the under-21s this season to aid his development and has yet to be in a first-team squad. The 17-year-old made eight senior appearances last season, including a Premier League start away in the 4-3 defeat at Brentford. Obi could be promoted to the first-team bench again.
Gabriele Biancheri, another promising striker in the United setup, is playing and has scored for Wales Under-21s but the 19-year-old has yet to break into the first team at Old Trafford.
The Sesko injury could also offer an opportunity for Shea Lacey if more attacking midfielders are on the pitch. The talented 18-year-old, who was born in Liverpool, has overcome injury issues and is regularly impressing for the under-21s and in first-team training. Amorim has kept a close eye on his progression.
When United decided to sign Sesko, they knew Rasmus Hojlund would have to leave for Napoli to balance the books but in doing so, they were also aware their attacking options would be thin.
Amorim will have to hope that their depth, even without a like-for-like replacement for Sesko, can withstand a sustained period of absence. United need to stack up the wins to maintain a push for a European spot.