Manchester United have confirmed that forward Benjamin Sesko will be sidelined for “a few weeks” after sustaining a knee injury prior to the international break. Manager Ruben Amorim disclosed the update during his pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of United’s Premier League meeting with Everton on Monday.
Sesko, who arrived from RB Leipzig in August for £74 million, picked up the injury during United’s 2–2 draw against Tottenham Hotspur on November 8. The 22-year-old subsequently missed Slovenia’s World Cup qualifying matches. Amorim admitted he initially feared a more severe setback due to the nature of the injury but said recent assessments suggest the striker has avoided a long-term layoff.
“Ben will be out for a few weeks, but it’s nothing too serious,” Amorim said. “We just need to manage him properly. He’s recovering well, and we expect him back soon.”
The United manager noted that Sesko’s anticipated return could coincide with the period when several key players — Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), and Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) — will depart for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins in Morocco on December 21. Amorim confirmed that discussions are ongoing with the respective national teams about release dates.
“We’re trying to keep the players with us for as long as possible, but it’s not solely our decision,” he said. “We must respect the process while protecting the club, the players, and the national teams involved.”
Reflecting on his upcoming one-year anniversary as United manager — having taken charge on November 24 last year — Amorim said he immediately recognised the scale of the job.
“I knew right away that there would be challenges,” he said. “This is the best league in the world, and maybe the biggest club in the world. It demands a lot of work.”
After a difficult 2024/25 campaign that saw United finish 15th, Amorim believes the team is now showing tangible signs of improvement. The club sits seventh in the Premier League and is unbeaten in five matches, though their last two games — against Nottingham Forest and Spurs — ended in draws.
“We suffered a lot last season, and that experience has shaped us,” he added. “We want more control, more dominance, better football — and above all, a more competitive team.”
United’s injury concerns extend beyond Sesko. Harry Maguire will miss the Everton clash with a knock sustained in the same game against Tottenham. However, there is optimism that midfielder Kobbie Mainoo could return, while defender Lisandro Martinez is nearing readiness after training with Argentina during the international break.
United host David Moyes’s Everton on Monday as they aim to climb further up the table and maintain their unbeaten run.
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