Sesko missed much of preseason with shin injury, potentially facing another slow start

According to the Manchester Evening News, Manchester United striker Sesko may face another slow start, as he has once again missed significant playing time in preseason due to injury.

Sesko was tenth in line to take a penalty in the League Cup against Grimsby Town, a scene that became another focal point of discussion after the loss. The €74 million signing was at the back of the queue during the tense penalty shootout at Brendel Park, which looked undignified, but internal club sources alleviated concerns by confirming he was cramping at the time.

Sesko had a slow start to his debut season because he did not participate in preseason preparations. Now, with him missing the fourth preseason friendly last weekend, it feels like history might repeat itself. As Manchester United traveled to Sweden to face Paris Saint-Germain, Sesko remained at Carrington to continue recovering from a shin injury, but the good news is that he has traveled to Dublin for a mini-training camp and will feature in Wednesday's friendly against Leeds United.

Sesko was all smiles as he posed for photos with fans outside the hotel. After missing the preseason so far, he is delighted to be back in full team training. Sesko is unlikely to feature against Leeds United, but Carrick only needs to look at his start to last season to understand the importance of giving him playing time before it's too late.

A year ago, before his move to Old Trafford, Sesko trained separately from the RB Leipzig first team. The deal was not completed in time, preventing him from playing in Manchester United's final summer preseason game against Fiorentina. The Slovenian international was on the bench for the first three league games of the season against Arsenal, Fulham, and Burnley, and his first start of the season against Grimsby Town confirmed his lack of match fitness.

"He was cramping, really at his limit. That's why we protected Ben in the shootout," Amorim responded when asked about his slow start in late August. Amorim also noted that Sesko did not play a full 90 minutes in preseason. It wasn't until September 27, after the first international break of the season, that Sesko scored his first goal for the club against Brentford. He then scored again against Sunderland, but those were his only two goals in the first half of the season.

Objectively, Sesko had a disappointing start, drawing criticism from his own manager, the media, and former players like Gary Neville, but he showed his ability in a standout performance in 2026. Sesko looks like a Premier League striker who can score 20 goals in a season, but without consistency throughout the season, it's almost impossible to reach that number – no wild fluctuations.

The 22-year-old will be eager to hit the ground running at the start of his second season. Given that he is the only recognized out-and-out striker in the Manchester United dressing room, Manchester United also needs Sesko to be firing from the first game. Although Sesko should have the chance to shake off the rust in the final preseason friendly against AC Milan, a game now managed by Amorim, he will still lack crucial match fitness.

This means Sesko may face another slow start to the new season, but there are several reasons to believe he can avoid history repeating itself. First and most obviously: he has adapted to the Premier League. Last summer, Sesko was in a new country, playing in a new league, and had not yet built chemistry with his teammates. This time, he has the advantage of being settled at Manchester United. He will get some preseason playing time, whereas last year he didn't play any preseason games for Manchester United, and he will be playing in a system that can create many chances, something Amorim's previous system couldn't do.

Manchester United's relatively easy start to the season is another positive factor. The Red Devils will face Hull City, Ipswich, and Everton in their first three league games, so Sesko will have a chance to score even if he's not at 100%. Finally, after Sesko proved his ability to thrive in the Premier League in the second half of last season, the pressure on him will also be less. If that version of Sesko can appear from the start of the season, Manchester United will be successful.

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