It regarded like being a defining second within the match, and probably Manchester United‘s season, with Benjamin Sesko failing to kill the sport off as his header struck the woodwork.
Fulham’s subsequent late rally may nicely have made the Slovenian the speaking level for all of the unsuitable causes, though within the dying embers, the 22-year-old made positive he was entrance web page information.
Pouncing on Bruno Fernandes’ astute pull-back, the £74m summer time signing produced what has turn out to be one thing of a trademark spin and strike, rifling residence into the roof of the online with out even taking a look at his meant goal.
A sixth purpose in six months in Manchester may make for grim studying, though the post-Ruben Amorim period has sparked United’s quantity 30 into life, with the weekend win undoubtedly his best second to this point.
It has been a studying curve, alright, however Sesko is now beginning to blossom – can he combine it with one of the best sooner or later?
How Sesko compares to different Premier League striker signings
It was a summer time of centre-forward upheaval, with a string of Premier League golf equipment all looking for that new attacking figurehead. The large quantity 9 was again in vogue.
Sesko, a reported goal for Arsenal, definitely wasn’t the most costly seize of the summer time window, with Alexander Isak’s British document £125m deal far eclipsing that.
Isak, after such a saga, has scored simply two league targets for brand spanking new aspect Liverpool, overshadowed by arguably the largest striker success story of the season, Hugo Ekitike, who has scored ten top-flight targets at Anfield.
Ekitike had regarded heading in the right direction to affix Isak’s former aspect, Newcastle United, at one stage, though the Magpies ended up with Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade as a substitute, with the German having tailed off considerably after a energetic begin, scoring seven league targets in all.
That tally nonetheless locations him forward of a person who may’ve ended up at Outdated Trafford, Viktor Gyokeres, with the beforehand prolific Swede enduring his personal struggles on the Emirates, netting simply six occasions for the Premier League leaders.
|
Chosen PL striker signings – 25/26 |
|
|---|---|
|
Participant |
Targets |
|
Ekitike |
10 |
|
J. Pedro |
9 |
|
Calvert-Lewin |
9 |
|
Woltemade |
7 |
|
Gyokeres |
6 |
|
Sesko |
5 |
|
Brobbey |
5 |
|
Isak |
2 |
|
Delap |
1 |
Strikes inside the top-flight have proved fruitful, in the meantime, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Joao Pedro scoring 9 occasions apiece for Leeds United and Chelsea, respectively, albeit with Pedro’s Stamford Bridge teammate, Liam Delap, netting only a solitary league purpose.
Sesko – who ranks alongside new Sunderland man and one-time Erik ten Hag goal, Brian Brobbey, on 5 league targets – has proven indicators of lifetime of late, however evidently, he nonetheless ranks towards the underside of this expensively assembled listing.
Considerably frustratingly too, he’s additionally being outshone by a determine of United’s current previous as nicely…
Former Man Utd man is outperforming Sesko a decade after leaving
There’s been a tiresome pattern to analyse who the Crimson Devils ought to and should not have bought in current occasions, with there really a small pool of gamers who really ought to’ve been saved onboard.
Scott McTominay and Alvaro Carreras stay the notable INEOS examples, though it’s important to look additional again for different actual potential errors, with Jose Mourinho memorably admitting that he “would by no means have bought” any of Angel Di Maria, Javier Hernandez or Danny Welbeck.
That trio all departed underneath Louis van Gaal’s watch, with the latter two exits notably headscratching, not least contemplating the dearth of centre-forward depth at United’s disposal on the time.
On Welbeck, the enigmatic Dutchman was vital of his scoring document for the membership, having sanctioned a measly £16m sale to rivals Arsenal in the summertime of 2014.
That point with the Gunners was ravaged by damage, however over 11 years on from his Outdated Trafford exit, the Englishman is arguably within the type of his profession, pushing for a possible wildcard World Cup inclusion this summer time.
Now 35 years outdated, the ageing striker is the centre-piece for Fabian Hurzeler’s Brighton and Hove Albion aspect, scoring 46 targets in 187 video games for the Seagulls to this point.
This season has been notably spectacular, with the Manchester native comfy outscoring Sesko with eight league targets and 9 in all competitions, with two of these coming, sarcastically, again on the Theatre of Desires.
The veteran marksman rifled residence a free-kick to spark late nerves in United’s 4-2 win over the south coast aspect again in October, whereas having netted what would show to be the decisive purpose within the current FA Cup assembly, lashing into the roof of the online on his weaker foot.
Recent off the again of scoring ten league targets final time period, there’s a rising completeness to Welbeck’s sport even in his advancing years, with the Outdated Trafford devoted acknowledging his present influence, and prior United connection, by applauding him off in that newest cup match-up.
The striker himself really steered in October that that is the “greatest” Crimson Devils aspect he has confronted in years, however may it have been a bit higher with him main the road forward of the inexperienced Sesko?
Man Utd have already got a Casemiro alternative who is usually a “world-class DM”
All of the discuss is centred on how Man Utd might substitute Casemiro this summer time, however may his successor already be at Outdated Trafford?
