Major blow for Sesko and Carrick
Manchester United have been rocked by the news that Sesko is facing a significant spell on the treatment table, with the forward ruled out until the new year according to talkSPORT. The former RB Leipzig man has endured a frustrating 2026-27 campaign so far, failing to register a single start in the Premier League. His last competitive involvement for the Red Devils came during a disappointing Carabao Cup exit at the hands of Brighton on September 16.
With his return now pushed back until at least January, United must navigate a hectic winter schedule without one of their primary attacking weapons. The club's medical team is currently assessing whether this latest setback is related to the shin problem that curtailed his previous season after a heavy collision with Ibrahima Konate during a fixture against Liverpool in May.
The injury crisis comes at a precarious time for Carrick, who is under intense scrutiny following a string of poor results. United currently sit 16th in the Premier League table, marking their worst-ever start to a top-flight season.
Striker shortage haunts Red Devils
Sesko's absence has highlighted a glaring lack of depth in the United attack, particularly after a summer transfer window where they failed to recruit a new centre-forward. The club had hoped to offload Joshua Zirkzee to make room for reinforcements, but the Dutchman remained at the club despite late interest from Everton and Italian side Fiorentina.
Last season, United's success was built on a prolific front line where Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha all reached double figures in league goals. Without the Slovenian's presence, the goalscoring burden has shifted heavily onto Mbeumo, who is currently the club's joint-top scorer with four strikes.
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The VPN can be applied across 14 different devices simultaneously, and offers Advanced Protection that blocks ads, trackers and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is included with the Express Pro plan.
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There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save around 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 67%. Both longer-term plans include a 3GB holiday.com eSIM that is valid for five days in 150+ destinations.
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Those that sign up for ExpressVPN's entry-level Basic plan gain access to a high-speed VPN, which offers high-capacity 40Gbps servers in many high-demand locations, with VPN servers in 113 countries worldwide.
The VPN can be applied across 10 different devices simultaneously, and offers Lite Protection that blocks ads and malicious and adult websites. A dedicated IP is available to be purchased as an add-on.
Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.
There is a 30-day money-back guarantee for new users. The plan is available on a one-month rolling contract, although those that sign up for a 12-month plan (offering one year plus an extra three months) can save more than 60%, while those that sign up for a two-year plan (offering two years plus an extra four months) can save 80%.
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Advanced plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 100MB/month private email relay plus 50 shared aliases and a custom domain, and ExpressKeys, which gives users a password management facility for an unlimited number of passwords plus a 2FA authenticator.
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Financial investment and goal deficit
The lack of production from the forward line is particularly concerning given the astronomical sums invested in the squad. United spent a combined £108.5 million on Rasmus Hojlund and Zirkzee in consecutive summers, before shelling out a further £74m to bring Sesko to Manchester from Leipzig last year.
Prior to his injury, Sesko had made six appearances across all competitions for United this season, scoring two goals. Overall, the Slovenian forward has featured 38 times for the Red Devils since joining the club, registering 14 goals in total.
Carrick seeking answers in crisis
Speaking to the press on Tuesday, Carrick was open about the ongoing efforts to determine the extent of the damage. 'We're hoping really soon that we'll have a clear picture,' he explained. 'I'm not trying to delay it. Hopefully next time we speak, maybe not tomorrow, but by the end of the week, we'll have something a little bit clearer. There's a bit of work going on at the moment, so we'll see what comes out of that.' The clarity has now arrived, but it is not the news anyone at Carrington wanted to hear as they prepare for a season-defining run of fixtures.