Sesko Setback Deepens Manchester United’s Early-Season Strain
Benjamin Sesko was nowhere to be seen at Craven Cottage on Sunday, and for Manchester United the silence around his absence felt almost as damaging as the result.
The Slovenian striker, signed to lead the line in a new era, did not even make the bench for the 2-2 draw with Fulham. His name was missing from the team sheet after he reported discomfort in the wake of Wednesday’s chaotic 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton.
The problem is not new. That’s the real concern.
Old injury, new worry
Sesko is again battling the shin issue that already wrecked his summer and the end of last season. The 23-year-old spent more than two months out with the same complaint, missing United’s final three league matches and the entirety of pre-season.
He finally returned on the opening weekend, eased back in with a substitute appearance against Hull. Six appearances across all competitions have followed, flashes of the mobility and penalty-box presence United built around. Now, another halt.
Speaking after the Fulham game, Michael Carrick could offer little clarity.
“We're not sure with Ben yet,” the United manager said. “He felt a bit of pain after the game [against Brighton] so we're assessing him. At the moment, he definitely wasn't ready for [Fulham], so I haven't really got any more news to give you at this point. We'll have to see what that brings.”
No timeline. No assurances. Just another key piece of the project heading back into the treatment room.
A stuttering start grows more complicated
United’s league campaign was already creaking. The draw at Fulham leaves them with just one win from their opening five Premier League fixtures. For a side trying to reset under Carrick, the margins are thin and the mood fragile.
Sesko’s absence strips away a focal point in attack and exposes how quickly this squad can look stretched. The plan was to build rhythm with a settled spine. Instead, the medical bulletin reads like a weekly feature.
There were, at least, glimpses of relief in west London.
Luke Shaw returned to the starting XI, a significant boost on the left side where United have lacked balance and leadership. On the bench, £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba was included in a matchday squad for the first time since his ankle problem.
“Luke coming back is good for the squad,” Carrick said before kick-off. “And having Carlos in the group for the first time... is important today.”
Important, yes. Transformative, not yet.
Injuries everywhere you look
For every positive, another concern surfaced.
Matthijs de Ligt travelled with the group to London but was not fit enough to be considered. The Dutch defender, earmarked as a cornerstone of United’s back line, remains stuck between recovery and readiness.
Out wide, Amad Diallo is still waiting for his first minute of the season. His absence removes a different type of threat, the kind of one-on-one winger who can change the tempo of tight games.
Across the squad, the pattern is the same: players edging back, others breaking down, and Carrick forced into short-term solutions when he needs long-term stability.
International break brings questions, not calm
Now comes a three-week international break that feels less like a pause and more like a delicate balancing act.
United’s medical staff finally have breathing space to assess the full extent of the damage. For Sesko, the key question is whether he will stay in Manchester or join up with Slovenia. The club are still unsure if he will withdraw from international duty, a decision that will say plenty about the seriousness of this latest flare-up.
Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo also face uncertain weeks ahead, both doubts for England because of ongoing fitness issues. For Carrick, every training session lost, every minute managed by national teams, carries risk.
The calendar, though, offers no sympathy.
Brutal run looms after the pause
When domestic football resumes, United walk straight into a demanding spell that will test both depth and mentality.
Tottenham visit Old Trafford on 10 October, a fixture that rarely passes quietly and will immediately expose any rust or fragility. Soon after, Carrick’s side fly to Spain for a high-stakes Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid, a club that specialises in punishing weakness and exploiting uncertainty.
By then, United will know a lot more about Sesko’s shin, Rashford’s sharpness, and Mainoo’s readiness.
The bigger question is this: by the time those nights arrive, will Carrick finally have the team he imagined on the pitch, or just another reshuffled XI patched together by necessity?
