Lineker questions Carrick's decision to give Sesko just 23 minutes in Manchester derby defeat

Gary Lineker has publicly questioned Michael Carrick’s handling of Benjamin Sesko in Manchester United’s Premier League defeat to 10-man Manchester City, arguing the Slovenian striker should have been introduced significantly earlier than the 67th minute.

Sesko managed just 23 minutes and eight touches after coming on as a substitute, with United unable to break down City’s low block despite their numerical advantage following Phil Foden’s red card. Erling Haaland’s controversial goal had given City the lead before Sesko’s introduction, and Bryan Mbeumo’s late chance — denied by Gianluigi Donnarumma — proved United’s best opportunity to equalise.

“Up top they look like they’re lacking,” Lineker said on The Rest Is Football podcast. “They’ve got Sesko on the bench. It’s odd — he comes on and he has scored in games, but you wonder why he’s not getting a starting place. You kept looking at it and thinking, ‘If you get someone up top, are you going to bring the big man on?’ And he did come on a bit late.”

Alan Shearer echoed the sentiment, saying Carrick could have given Sesko at least ten more minutes. “He has to bring him on,” Shearer said. “I thought he could have brought him on at least ten minutes earlier than he actually did.”

Shearer also raised broader concerns about United’s attacking depth. “There’s talk of how they’ve strengthened their forwards and midfield, but they didn’t strengthen defensively. I’m not 100 per cent certain they’re that great up top anyway — they’re decent, but when you compare them to a lot of the big teams…”

Carrick’s decision to start Matheus Cunha up front was not entirely surprising given how the game was expected to unfold, with Cunha operating more as a number ten than a traditional striker. Sesko has been carefully managed this season after recovering from an injury sustained late in the previous campaign, starting and playing 64 minutes in the Champions League against Sabah last week while making only brief Premier League appearances — though he had scored in both league outings prior to the derby.

The defeat leaves United with four points from a possible 12 in the Premier League, heaping further pressure on Carrick and raising questions about the squad’s readiness to compete at the top end of the table.