Amorim reveals the special reason behind Sesko's series of bench appearances

Manchester United ultimately achieved their first victory in this Premier League season by overcoming Burnley. Yet, what also draws attention is the fact that the costly newcomer Benjamin Sesko is still being kept as a substitute.

In the first three matches of the Premier League, the Slovenian forward has not yet been included in the starting lineup. In the match against Burnley, Sesko was only brought on during the last 20 minutes. Earlier, he attracted attention by playing the full 90 minutes in the Carabao Cup loss to Grimsby Town, where he also took the 10th penalty in a tense shootout. The decision to have Sesko take the final penalty sparked questions, with some accusing him of “avoiding responsibility” in the decisive shootout.

After the victory over Burnley, coach Ruben Amorim officially addressed these concerns. The Portuguese manager stated that everything is connected, and he did not want to take risks with Sesko given the congested schedule and multiple injuries in the squad.

Amorim shared: “Actually, everything is linked. Sesko finished the Grimsby match suffering from cramps and exhaustion. That’s why we let him take the 10th penalty. And today as well, because Ben had never played a full 90 minutes during the pre-season but did play 90 minutes midweek against a fourth-tier team.”

“With Cunha’s injury, we weren’t sure if the midweek match had any impact. Mason Mount is also dealing with issues, and I didn’t want to risk another player. So from the penalty shootout, the midweek game, to the minutes played by Sesko today, all of these factors are interconnected.”

The win against Burnley helps Man Utd relieve some pressure after a poor start. However, the real challenge lies ahead. After the international break, the Red Devils will face their fierce rivals Man City in the Manchester derby at Etihad on September 14.

This will definitely be a tough test for Ruben Amorim’s squad and also an opportunity for Benjamin Sesko to prove the value of the €75 million signing if he is given the chance to start.