Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer has singled out Benjamin Šeško as one of the reasons behind Manchester United’s underwhelming Premier League campaign so far.
Shearer, speaking after United’s recent fixture, argued that the young Slovenian striker has failed to deliver the clinical edge expected of him since arriving in the summer.
He said, “Sesko struggled again. He’s only scored twice in his 12 appearances, and he came on today with just over half an hour to go and had two really, really good chances and should have scored, to be honest,” Shearer told BBC Match of the Day.
“They worked it really well for him to get in. He’s either got to get his shot away early or he’s got to push that ball forward quicker. He’s not going to get that amount of time in the Premier League to work it back on his right foot.
“This one (Sesko’s second chance) is the bigger puzzle for me. I know he’s struggling for confidence, but any centre-forward knows you cannot allow the centre-half to come back at you; you’ve got to get across Van de Ven.
“By that time, he should have a picture in his head of where the keeper is and what he wants to do. I don’t think he has a clue what he wants to do because I don’t even think he knows Van de Ven is there and chasing him.
“I know he’s struggling with confidence, but it’s a big ‘must do better.’ No one likes to see him coming off injured, and we hope his knee is okay, but there are two chances you’d expect, at that level, that someone has to put away.”
Benjamin Šeško has scored just two goals in 11 Premier League appearances, and Shearer believes the missed chances have cost the Red Devils valuable points.
Manchester United, currently outside the top four, have struggled for consistency in attack despite heavy summer investment, with manager Erik ten Hag facing renewed scrutiny over the team’s lack of cutting edge in front of goal.
