As Benjamin Sesko limped off against Tottenham Hotspur back in October, having missed two gilt-edged chances prior to that, it looked as if Manchester United were heading for yet another transfer misfire in the striker department.
The Slovenian had scored just twice for the club by that stage, with then-boss Ruben Amorim having suggested that the 22-year-old was “struggling” in his new surroundings.
Fast forward just a matter of months, and the ex-RB Leipzig man is now enjoying a real hot streak under Michael Carrick, even while not actually starting a game since Darren Fletcher’s brief caretaker spell.
His three goals under Carrick have all come from the bench, including Monday’s crucial winner against Everton, with the £74m man joining Kobbie Mainoo in having enjoyed the biggest turnaround since the change in the dugout.
Sesko & Mainoo’s performance in numbers vs Everton
The speed at which Sesko broke on the counter truly was frightening at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with the 6 foot 4 sensation then having the quality and composure to round off that rapid break with an expertly taken finish.
While he did squander a similar opening soon after, having been denied by the advancing Jordan Pickford, Sesko is now up to eight goals for the season in all competitions, six of which have come since Amorim’s dismissal.
Enjoying a run of form akin to Rasmus Hojlund’s six-game scoring spree in 2023/24, United’s number 30 is surely pushing for a first start under Carrick, making a real nuisance of himself even while recording just 11 touches in total.
The summer signing didn’t actually win a single duel up against the likes of James Tarkowski, although he did record a 100% pass accuracy rate, showcasing a quality in possession that should set him apart from that man Hojlund.
Either way, Sesko looks like a man reborn, and so too does Mainoo, with the 20-year-old again central to United’s performance on Merseyside, not least with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes having been somewhat off the boil.
On his sixth Premier League start in succession, Mainoo – whose first ever top-flight start came against the Toffees in November 2023 – was masterful in midfield, gliding his way up the pitch time and again.
Boasting a 96% pass accuracy rate, the England international produced 14 carries in total, with it easy to see that the spring in his step has returned since Amorim’s exit.
Indeed, Mainoo appears to be benefitting from the shift back to a 4-2-3-1 formation, and he isn’t the only one.
Man Utd star is making Amorim look silly under Carrick
There is a sense that Carrick is merely doing what any incoming boss would have done, having swiftly put an end to Amorim’s 3-4-2-1, while reinstating Mainoo as the heartbeat of the midfield.
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That viewpoint certainly does a disservice to a man now enjoying a six-game unbeaten run, although putting players back into their natural roles is undoubtedly a common-sense decision, after so much upheaval across the last 14 months or so.
Among those, like Mainoo, who arguably look like a different player right now is Diogo Dalot, with the Portuguese defender back to his best as a natural right-back in a back four.
So often deployed as a right wing-back or even a left wing-back under Amorim, the 26-year-old unsurprisingly looks refreshed in his natural role, having previously been named the club’s Players’ Player of the Season in that position in 2023/24.
A year or so under Amorim’s watch saw the oft-maligned asset take something of a step back, although Monday’s win was another showcase of what Dalot can offer to this team down the flanks.
An increasingly dependable and available option, having now featured under a succession of managers since his £18m arrival from Porto in 2018, the long-serving full-back was a real driving force against David Moyes’ men.
Indeed, an early opening saw Dalot beat his man before producing a wicked cross that forced Pickford into a sprawling save, while having also picked out Sesko late on with an astute sliding pass that should well have resulted in an assist.
Most minutes under Carrick – 25/26
Player
Minutes
Fernandes
540
Mainoo
540
Lammens
540
Shaw
537
Dalot
528
Maguire
518
Casemiro
513
Amad
506
Mbeumo
485
Martinez
450
Comfortably ahead of Noussair Mazraoui in the right-back pecking order, the Portugal international completed 100% of his tackles and 100% of his dribbles against the Toffees, while also providing one key pass in an attacking sense.
An impressively spoken and seemingly respected member of the dressing room, Dalot – having appeared ill-suited for the long-term in Amorim’s system – is back thriving again, showcasing to his compatriot just what an error it was trying to force that back three onto his players.
Indeed, whether it is merely the shift in set-up or not, Dalot, Mainoo and now Sesko are all reaping the rewards of Carrick’s entrance, with recent weeks and results certainly not reflecting well on Amorim nor his coaching staff.
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