'Sublime' Benjamin Sesko is a 'different player' after saving the day for Man United
Benjamin Sesko has had a slow start to his Man United career but is he finally starting to show what he is capable of?
Manchester United have spent more than enough money in recent seasons to expect to be competing up at the sharp end of the Premier League table.
In terms of strikers alone, the money that was spent on Rasmus Hojlund and Benjamin Sesko would be expected to provide the sort of return that elder statesmen like Edison Cavani, Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Cristiano Ronaldo were all capable of providing. Hojlund has found goals easier to come by in Italy but Sesko’s latest late strike has given cause for optimism that he could yet be the man trusted to lead the line.
Benjamin Sesko saves a point for Man United
The big Slovenian now has seven goals for the campaign which, after a slow start, is beginning to look more respectable from his 1200 or so minutes of competitive action. According to England women’s team’s record goalscorer Ellen White, the influence of Michael Carrick can’t be downplayed in the upturn in form. When asked what she thought of Sesko’s dramatic equaliser, she said on BBC Five Live: “It was sublime. It was such a deft touch. He was actually outside of the near post as well.
“So to be able to kind of get his toe to kind of be able to kind of whip that in the top corner was something special. And he looks like he's gained a lot of confidence from having Michael Carrick in charge. And he just looks like a completely different player. He's moved. He's always a good movement, obviously, but I just think he needed that confidence, that arm around his shoulder to say that you are a good striker. You do get good positions.
“And I think he's, you know, Michael Carrick's given him that and he's shown that in his performances. And it was a wonderful finish. And again, he's keeping keeping them unbeaten record.”
What has Michael Carrick said about Sesko’s goal?
Someone else who recognised the quality of the finish was Sesko’s manager Carrick who, speaking in his post-match press conference via the club’s official website, couldn’t have spoken higher of the 22-year old: “It’s an unbelievable finish. From that angle, to generate that and to get it on target, it’s some finish. He is capable of that. But it’s not like he has suddenly burst onto the scene, he has proven he scores goals, and he does it in training.
“The last one [v Fulham] would have done him the world of good, but that was a big moment for him, and for us.” For his first season, Sesko’s return has been more than adequate considering the problems that United had under Ruben Amorim. In terms of chances, Sesko hasn’t actually missed that many and is more than hitting his expected goals target. All United need to do now is create more chances for him.