Ruben Amorim will be without £74 million star man Benjamin Sesko for at least a month due to a knee injury, throwing Man United’s attacking plans into disarray and leaving the club without a proper number nine.
To add insult to literal injury, AFCON kicking off on December 21st means United are likely to be without Brayn Mbeumo and Amad Diallo, and although Amorim has said he expects Sesko to be back, you can never be too sure with these types of injury.
So, heading into the hectic festive period, how can Man United cope without Sesko, especially since they’ll be without other key attackers?
How have Man United used Benjamin Sesko so far?
Despite his giant 6’5” frame, Sesko hasn’t been Man United’s main goal threat so far this season, that honour belongs to Mbeumo, and not just because the Cameroonian is their top Premier League goal scorer.
Sesko has been a focal point for United’s attack, with a neat first touch, he can offer flicks, layoffs and short combinations under pressure, bringing his teammates into play and helping establish possession in the final third.
He thrives on the counter, but more often than not this season, United have come up against low blocks and relied on long balls, for which they have the second highest accuracy rate in the league with 26, and crosses, averaging 5.2 accurate per 90 minutes, just being Leeds and Wolves.
So, he has been used as more of a target man than he would probably like, and the numbers reflect that. He’s only had 207 touches, 25 of which have been in the opposition box, and won 27 aerial duels at a success rate of 47.4%.
Who could fill in for Benjamin Sesko?
Up until AFCON, the most likely scenario is that Mbeumo plays as the number nine, like he did on several occasions while at Brentford. But if Sesko isn’t back by the time he heads to Morrocco, it’s looking a little dicey.
The obvious answer, although he’s a self-proclaimed ‘nine and a half’, is Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman had a poor first season in a Man United shirt, scoring seven goals in 49 games across all competitions, but he’s never been prolific.
It’s hard to say whether Zrikzee’s struggles are a cause or a symptom of United’s worst ever Premier League campaign, but he hasn’t been given a chance at redemption, with Sesko, Mbeumo, and Matheus Cunha all coming in.
It’s looking likely that Zirkzee will push for a move away in January and with a place at next year’s World Cup still up for grabs considering the Netherlands’ lack of striker options, he will certainly have a fire under him to perform.
Amorim has experimented with Mason Mount as a number nine, which has its pros and cons. Mount is a high intensity presser and has won possession in the final third three times so far this season, but United would lose the ability to hold up play in the way they’ve been doing so far.
Is there anyone in the youth ranks that could step up?
Former United striker Dwight Yorke recently urged Amorim to look at the youth sides to find a temporary replacement for Sesko, so, what would his options be and is that a feasible option for the Portuguese manager?
Chido Obi is back training with the first team after being demoted to the Under-21s and had opportunities to impress when he moved to the club last season, making eight appearances across all competitions, but he was largely anonymous.
Beyond him, the options are slim. JJ Gabriel is being hailed as one of the best young talents to come out of the club for some time, but sticking a 15-year-old up top for one of the biggest clubs in the world would be insanity.
Verdict
Amorim will be hoping and praying that Sesko comes back before AFCON because despite only scoring two goals, the Slovenian is key to the way that they play. Mbeumo should be the one to step in while he’s done, with Cunha and Mount the likely options to play as the two number tens.