Manchester United’s resurgence under Michael Carrick has coincided with Benjamin Sesko scoring goals as a substitute and earning the team points with his impact
Alan Shearer says Benjamin Sesko should face no judgment until the centre-forward is starting regularly for Manchester United rather than only playing as a substitute.
Michael Carrick has used the summer signing exclusively to make an impact during matches, with Sesko’s last start coming while Darren Fletcher was briefly in charge. The striker scored three goals across two games during that spell, and has as many across his previous four cameos off the bench for the current boss.
However, the difference is that Sesko is now earning United points, five in total by scoring the winner against Everton and Fulham, as well as the equaliser to draw with West Ham United. His two goals at Turf Moor under Fletcher were enough for a point after Jaidon Anthony’s equaliser.
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Shearer spoke highly of Sesko, telling Betfair: “I was critical of the price that Manchester United paid for Benjamin Sesko [but] he’s done well when called upon for them recently. There’s obviously a reason why Michael Carrick is not starting him.
“When he starts playing games on a regular basis, 12 or 15 games on the spin, that would be the time to judge him. But as a substitute coming on and scoring goals, he’s doing a job.
“Carrick has obviously put a belief in and a structure that the players are comfortable with. It’s remarkable they are in that position; they’re in there because of him, and there’s no way they would have been there if he wasn’t there.
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“They are finding a way to win or not lose games, which is a great sign. He’s given them a very realistic chance at Champions League football.”
Carrick has also played down the external calls for Sesko to start. He says: “I just think the whole thing is a real positive, to be honest, it’s certainly not a decision that is one that I look to in a negative way or anything like that.
“We’re playing well as a team, we’ve been winning games, and I’m still not getting carried away and thinking that just carries on, but certainly within the group and the forward players have scored a good number of goals so far.
“Ben’s been so good in so many ways for us. It’s really not a drama, believe it or not, for how people see it, it’s not a drama, and I think it just shows the qualities Ben’s got for what he’s produced over the last few weeks.
“If and when he starts the next game or the one after, I think, it is what it is, you know, but he’s doing so many good things as well as the team that it’s a good position for us to be in.”
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