Michael Carrick says Benjamin Sesko was unavailable after 1-1 Premier League draw at Craven Cottage

Michael Carrick said Benjamin Sesko was unavailable for Manchester United’s 1-1 Premier League draw with Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday and that the striker is being assessed for a shin problem.

Sesko was omitted from the matchday squad after experiencing discomfort following Wednesday’s 3-2 Carabao Cup defeat to Brighton, a match in which he had started. The decision left the Slovenian forward absent from United’s trip to Craven Cottage.

Speaking after the Fulham game, Carrick said: “We’re not sure with Ben yet. He felt a bit of pain after the game [against Brighton] so we’re assessing him. At the moment, he definitely wasn’t ready for [Fulham], so I haven’t really got any more news to give you at this point. We’ll have to see what that brings.” He was unable to give a specific timetable for Sesko’s return to action.

The shin issue is a recurrence of the same problem that had previously kept the 23-year-old sidelined for more than two months. That earlier layoff ruled him out of United’s final three matches of last season and the remainder of their preseason schedule.

Sesko has made six appearances in all competitions this season, with his involvement including a substitute appearance against Hull on the first weekend. His absence came as United recorded only one victory in their first five Premier League fixtures.

United also had other fitness concerns for the Fulham trip: Matthijs de Ligt travelled to London but was deemed unfit for the match, and winger Amad Diallo has not played this season. Carrick did not confirm whether Sesko will be unavailable for the club’s upcoming matches.

Carrick reiterated that the club are assessing Sesko’s condition and offered no definitive timeline for his return, leaving his availability for forthcoming fixtures unconfirmed.