We need Benjamin to be a better team, Ruben Amorim affirmed after the 2-2 draw between Man United and Tottenham last weekend, when Benjamin Sesko freely left the field in the final minutes.
That statement surprised many, because Sesko has only scored 2 goals and had 1 assist after 11 matches in the Premier League. However, for Amorim, the 22-year-old striker has quickly become a part of his system.
However, a left knee injury after a collision with defender Micky van de Ven could disrupt Sesko's integration. He had to withdraw from the training camp with the Slovenia team. Although the Man United medical team is optimistic, Amorim still has to prepare for the scenario of not having a key striker when the Premier League returns on November 24, in the match against Everton.
The Portuguese strategist admitted at the press conference that Man United may consider recruiting another striker in January, but that possibility is very low. After an expensive summer transfer window, spending more on the attack is not a top priority, especially as Man United still need to invest in the defense and midfield.
Amorim's internal choices
Although Sesko is expected to be the name, he has actually only started 6/11 Premier League matches this season. The first reason is that the 22-year-old star arrived late in the summer transfer window, so he missed the pre-season. Second, Amorim has sometimes proactively left the striker out of the squad due to tactical factors.
Typically, in the 2-1 win over Liverpool at Anfield last month, Amorim chose not to use Sesko to avoid creating an advantage for the opponent. Instead, he used the trio Bryan Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha and Mason Mount to compete for the second ball in the opponent's half.
However, in the draw with Tottenham, the same choice was counterproductive. Amorim pushed Amad Diallo from the wing position to play as an attacking midfielder, allowing Cunha to play as a center forward and Mbeumo to move to the left wing. The effectiveness was when Mbeumo scored from Amad's assist but overall the operating system lacked connection.
A headache named Can
The situation is further complicated as Mbeumo (Cameroon) and Amad (Ivory Coast) will leave the club to participate in the African Football Cup (CAN) taking place from late December to mid-January. Noussair Mazraoui will also participate in this tournament with the Morocco team. That is, during the most stressful period of the season, the Red Devils may lose 3 key attacking players at the same time.
In that context, Amorim could adjust Bruno Fernandes' role. The Portuguese could be promoted as a 'number 10' alongside Mason Mount, while Cunha has been the highest scorer in attack. This opens up the opportunity for Kobbie Mainoo to take up a midfield position alongside Casemiro.
However, this option also has many risks. Mount is still unable to ensure his fitness after a series of injuries, while Bruno will be unable to balance his squad if the opponent counterattacks.
Joshua Zirkzee - a forgotten choice
The next name on the list is Joshua Zirkzee - the Dutch striker who seems to have been forgotten. He has only played 90 minutes this season, playing all 5 matches, mainly coming off the bench. The last time Zirkzee scored in the Premier League was nearly a year ago, in a 4-0 win over Everton.
After that, the thigh injury caused Zirkzee to miss most of the 2024-2025 season and miss almost the entire pre-season this year, so it is understandable that he lacks a sense of the ball. However, if Sesko is out for a long time, Amorim could surprise Zirkzee. That is also an opportunity for this striker to save his hope of being called up to the Netherlands national team for the 2026 World Cup.
Opportunities for the younger generation
Another future option is Chido Obi Martin, a 17-year-old striker who was bought from Arsenal in 2024. Although he is focusing on the U21 team, Obi has made 8 appearances for the team last season, including 1 starting match in the Premier League. If Sesko is absent, Amorim could bring Obi back to the bench to gradually get used to the top environment.
When recruiting Sesko, Man United's board pushed Rasmus Hojlund to Napoli for financial balance meaning they accepted the risk of having only a true centre-forward. Now, if Sesko is out for a long time, Amorim will have to prove his resilience and tactical creativity.
