Manchester United Faces Setback with Ben Sesko Injury
Manchester United arrived at Craven Cottage on Sunday with a problem that had nothing to do with tactics or form. Ben Sesko was nowhere to be seen.
The Slovenian striker, who started the chaotic 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton in midweek, was left out of the squad entirely after feeling discomfort in the aftermath of that game. The issue is not new. It’s the same shin problem that already wrecked a large chunk of his year.
That original injury cost the 23-year-old the final three matches of last season and wiped out his entire pre-season. United built their summer around integrating him. Instead, they’re back to waiting.
Carrick offers caution, not clarity
Michael Carrick cut a measured figure after the draw with Fulham. There was no attempt to dress it up.
"We're not sure with Ben yet," he 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 timeframe. No promises. Just another key attacker in the treatment room as United stumble through the opening stretch of their Premier League campaign.
The numbers underline the frustration. United have only one win from their first five league games, with the stalemate at Fulham adding to a stuttering start. Sesko has managed six appearances in all competitions this season, his first minutes coming off the bench against Hull on the opening weekend. Just as he looked ready to build rhythm, the shin flared up again.
A thin silver lining at Craven Cottage
Not everything about the trip to west London was bleak.
Luke Shaw returned to the starting XI, a significant boost for a side that has badly missed his balance on the left. On the bench, £70 million summer signing Carlos Baleba was finally involved on a matchday for the first time, having shaken off an ankle problem.
"Luke coming back is good for the squad. And having Carlos in the group for the first time... is important today," Carrick said before kick-off. For a manager juggling absences across the pitch, just seeing those names back on the teamsheet mattered.
But the injury list still bites. Matthijs de Ligt travelled with the group to London but wasn’t fit enough to make the squad. Amad Diallo remains sidelined and is still waiting for his first appearance of the season. Every solution seems to arrive with a caveat.
Three weeks to breathe – and worry
United now step into a three-week international break that feels less like a pause and more like a medical window.
Club staff will use the gap to assess Sesko’s shin and decide whether he can, or should, link up with Slovenia. That call has not yet been made. The uncertainty doesn’t stop there: Marcus Rashford and Kobbie Mainoo are also doubts for England duty, both managing ongoing fitness concerns.
Carrick will hope the break acts as a reset, not a fresh source of problems.
Because when domestic football returns, there is no gentle reintroduction. United host Tottenham on 10 October, a fixture that already carries weight given their sluggish league form, then head straight to Spain for a high-stakes Champions League meeting with Atletico Madrid.
By then, they need answers on Sesko. Not just whether he can play, but whether he can finally stay on the pitch long enough to change the direction of their season.
