Manchester United Striker Benjamin Sesko Out Until January With Shin Injury
The forward's absence due to an impact injury exacerbates Manchester United's attacking woes.
Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko is expected to be sidelined until at least January due to a shin injury. The 23-year-old has not played for the club since suffering the injury in the 66th minute of their Carabao Cup defeat by Brighton on September 16.
Sources indicate the issue is an impact injury rather than shin splints, differing from the problem that caused him to miss the final three Premier League matches last season and all of pre-season. The injury initially flared up against Liverpool in May.
Since his £73.7 million transfer from RB Leipzig in August 2025, Sesko has made 38 appearances across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and providing one assist. Despite his current injury, he was Manchester United's joint-highest Premier League scorer last season with 11 goals, alongside Bryan Mbeumo.
His absence leaves manager Michael Carrick without an orthodox number nine, a situation that has been keenly felt. Sesko had scored two goals this season, one against Everton in the Premier League and another against Sabah FK in the Champions League, shortly after expressing relief at being injury-free.
Sesko's injury means he will miss crucial league fixtures, including matches against Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as at least three Champions League games. This ongoing shortage of a recognized forward has been cited as a contributing factor to the team's recent poor form.
Manchester United currently sit 16th in the league, with their sole victory coming against Ipswich on August 30. The team has not secured a win in any competition since September 10. Following a 4-1 loss to Como in the Champions League last Wednesday, captain Bruno Fernandes publicly criticized manager Carrick's tactics. Fernandes, who was an unused substitute in the recent 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth, reportedly held clear-the-air talks with Carrick on Tuesday. Despite speculation about his future after the Bournemouth loss, Carrick is set to remain in charge for the upcoming match against Chelsea.