Man Utd legends mock injured Benjamin Sesko as shin woes linger

Manchester United legends Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt have publicly mocked Red Devils striker Benjamin Sesko after the forward suffered a fresh shin injury, underscoring the club’s clear stance on his fitness concerns. The criticism came as United confirmed he will undergo tests this week.

Injury timeline and preseason absence

Benjamin Sesko arrived at Old Trafford from RB Leipzig for £74 million in the summer of 2025. He missed the entire pre‑season after a shin problem that first emerged last season. The striker aggravated the issue with a kick to the leg in the spring and a heavy landing during Manchester United’s May victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford.

Sesko started United’s Champions League win over Sabah and the Carabao Cup loss to Brighton, after being a substitute in the opening four Premier League games, but missed the Fulham draw.

Legends' mockery and squad criticism

Paul Scholes and Nicky Butt ridiculed the forward on The Good, The Bad and The Football podcast. Butt complained, “The back four is a massive problem but for me the biggest problem is the no9… Who is injured, with what, a shin injury?” Scholes replied, “How do you injure your shin? Ain’t that a broken leg? Can’t you just put your shinpads on?”

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Red Devils manager Michael Carrick said he could not detail the severity of Sesko’s injury after the match and confirmed the striker will undergo tests this week before United decide on a treatment plan.

United failed to offload Joshua Zirkzee in the summer and did not sign another No 9 to compete with Sesko. Butt said the lack of an extra centre‑forward leaves the team vulnerable.

With Cunha leading the line, Butt warned that “paying Cunha as a nine kills him” and that he is far from a true Manchester United No 9. He added that the limited options beyond Sesko and the unsettled Zirkzee hinder the attacking threat. The forward’s absence therefore amplifies the pressure on the front‑man.

Despite having quality midfielders, Butt claimed United cannot dominate a game from the centre of the park. He described the back four as “average”, questioning the right‑back’s ability to propel the club into the top two or three. He also noted that Harry is past his best, Martinez is competent but not dominant, and Luke Shaw only features sporadically before injury returns.