Man United fearful of lengthy Sesko injury layoff

LONDON – Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim expressed concern that striker Benjamin Sesko may face a prolonged spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury during Sunday’s 2-2 Premier League draw against Tottenham Hotspur.

The Slovenia international, signed from RB Leipzig in a £74 million ($97 million) deal last summer, was introduced as a second-half substitute but was forced off in the 88th minute following a collision with Spurs defender Micky van de Ven. Sesko was able to walk off unassisted after receiving treatment, yet Amorim suggested the issue could be serious.

“We have to check,” Amorim told reporters. “He has something in his knee, so let’s see. We think he has a problem. It’s the knee, and we never know. I’m more concerned with the injury because it’s in the knee and I don’t know how serious it is.”

The injury comes at a difficult time for United, who are set to lose several key players to the Africa Cup of Nations in January, including forwards Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast) and Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), as well as defender Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco). Amorim admitted the club may need to explore short-term attacking reinforcements during the January transfer window if Sesko is ruled out for an extended period.

“We have to check everything,” he said. “We already knew AFCON would affect us, so we prepared for that in the summer. But if Ben is out, managing that situation becomes harder. When the window opens, we’ll see if we can improve the team.”

Sesko, 21, has impressed with his movement and finishing since joining United, providing a physical presence and composure in front of goal. His potential absence would further complicate Amorim’s attacking plans as the club continue to rebuild under the Portuguese coach.

Despite the setback, United extended their unbeaten league run to five matches with the draw in north London, though Amorim lamented his side’s failure to capitalize on their dominance.

“We controlled the game well but should have been braver,” Amorim said. “The three points were there for us. We need to do better, be more aggressive, and show more intensity. If we had more bravery, we would have killed the game.”

United remain in contention for Champions League qualification but will await medical tests to determine the extent of Sesko’s knee injury—a development that could significantly shape their plans heading into the January window.