Coach Ruben Amorim: 'Sesko is fighting to adapt'

Coach Ruben Amorim thinks Benjamin Sesko requires additional time to acclimate to the Premier League, with the £74 million forward still making substitute appearances in Manchester United's 1-1 draw versus Fulham.

Manchester United spent nearly £74 million to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, but the 22-year-old striker has yet to start a Premier League match. In both opening games against Arsenal and Fulham, Sesko has only appeared as a substitute.

Before joining United just over two weeks ago, Sesko played only 45 minutes during Leipzig's pre-season. Therefore, Coach Ruben Amorim remains cautious in using him. In the recent 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage against Fulham, Sesko was brought on 13 minutes earlier than his debut, with the match balanced at 0-0.

Amorim openly stated that the Slovenian player needs more time to get used to the new environment: “It’s not easy to immediately adjust to the pace of the Premier League. Sometimes when he comes off the bench, he realizes the game is even faster than the Bundesliga. He is fighting and integrating well with teammates, but the team wasn’t at its best when he entered, which might affect how he is perceived. I am pleased that Sesko has given his all. Once we stabilize, he will definitely show his talent.”

The draw against Fulham also exposed limitations of United under Amorim. The Old Trafford side has won only 7 of 29 Premier League matches since he took charge. According to Amorim, the issue lies in the mentality after scoring: “We started very well, but after scoring, we focused on protecting the lead instead of maintaining our style of play. We were so eager to win that we forgot to control possession and apply pressure on the opponent. That gave Fulham the chance to come back.”

Man United will have a chance to test their squad in the second round of the League Cup against Grimsby Town midweek, before returning to Premier League action hosting newly promoted Burnley. This is seen as an opportunity for Sesko to gain more playing time and seek his first goal for the new club.