Paul Merson believes the onus is on the midfield to get the best out of Benjamin Sesko at Manchester United
The disappointment Manchester United suffered last season is still fresh in the hearts of both the club and fans. Finishing 15th in the Premier League, losing the Europa League final to Tottenham and being eliminated from any European competition next season were all very costly. The arrival of Ruben Amorim brought some hope, but the season was not completely transformed. So this summer, United made several big signings in quick succession, and now, with the signing of Benjamin Sesko, they have shown everyone that they want to rebuild their attack.
Paul Merson’s opinion on Sesko
Former Arsenal player, Paul Merson, via The Daily Mail believes that Sesko’s performance will depend entirely on the service he gets from the midfield. He pointed out that United’s midfield still does not look as strong as a top club need. Merson also admitted that Sesko could be a better option than Rasmus Hojlund, but this will only be proved if the passing and creation from the midfield are right. The former Arsenal man said that players like Cunha and Mbeumo will also take responsibility for scoring goals, but the most important thing is that the Slovenian finds the net consistently.
He believes that United have got new attacking options, but still lack a leader in the midfield. Casemiro’s game has slowed down, Eriksen struggled with fitness last season and has left the club this summer, and Bruno Fernandes cannot handle all the creativity alone. If United’s midfield is not balanced, it will be difficult for Sesko to channel his talent in the right direction. Merson’s warning is that no matter how talented a striker is, if he does not get the right service, his impact will be limited.
‘In terms of Sesko, you are only as good as the service you are getting as a centre forward. In midfield, I still think they aren’t strong enough, but it will be different.
‘I think he is another peg up from [Rasmus] Hojlund so it all depends on his service. There are a lot of players there now… [Matheus] Cunha, [Bryan] Mbeumo. They are going to have to score goal too, but he has to score goals too.’
In our opinion, Merson’s words carry weight. United’s midfield often fell apart last year, and that’s why Hojlund often looked lonely. If the club are to get the most out of Sesko, they need a new box-to-box player in midfield. A name like Joao Neves or Frenkie de Jong could completely change the balance of the team, but these aren’t possible at this moment. If Amorim makes a tactical change and pushes Fernandes forward a little and uses Cunha as a second striker or in a false nine role, Sesko will have more space.
As an upgrade, Sesko has better movement and goal scoring instinct than Hojlund. Yes, he is new to the pressure of the Premier League, but with good service, he will be more effective. Cunha and Mbeumo’s role should not be limited to just scoring goals, but they should also create width and create opportunities for the 22-year-old Slovenian through crossing and link-up play.
Finally, United need their new frontline to share the goal-scoring burden together. Fernandes will have to be the centre of creation, while Cunha and Mbeumo will have to take responsibility for creating space. If this balance is found, Sesko can be the difference. As fans, we believe this balance will be the key to our comeback.