Benjamin Sesko expected to miss at least until January with shin injury

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko is expected to be out until at least January with a shin injury, BBC Sport and talkSPORT reported on 28 October. The 23-year-old has not played since United's Carabao Cup defeat by Brighton on 16 September, extending an absence that leaves manager Michael Carrick without his main centre-forward option.

What is known about Sesko's shin injury

talkSPORT reported that United's medical team concluded Sesko needs more recovery time after working with specialists. It said he faces at least another two months out. BBC Sport reported that he underwent multiple tests to investigate the problem and that its sources described it as an impact injury, rather than shin splints. Neither report established a precise return date.

Sesko also had a shin complaint last season that flared up against Liverpool in May and kept him out of United's final three league matches, according to BBC Sport. Whether the current problem is the same injury remains unclear; the BBC's sources described the present impact injury as different from the initial problem, while talkSPORT said the connection to last season's setback was uncertain.

How the absence affects Manchester United's attack

Sesko scored 11 Premier League goals last season, level with Bryan Mbeumo as United's leading league scorer despite missing eight matches, BBC Sport reported. The BBC described him as Carrick's only orthodox number nine. talkSPORT reported that United did not sign a back-up centre-forward during the summer and kept Joshua Zirkzee after transfer interest from other clubs.

BBC Sport said United were 16th in the Premier League, with their only league win coming against Ipswich on 30 August. It reported that Sesko is set to miss league fixtures against Liverpool and Arsenal and at least three Champions League matches. The club's limited options in his position make the length of his recovery especially consequential while United try to improve their results.

Carrick said on Tuesday that he hoped United would soon have a clearer picture of the lay-off. ‘There's a bit of work going on at the moment, so we'll see what comes out of that,’ he said, according to talkSPORT. The reported expectation of a January return leaves United planning for further matches without Sesko while that assessment continues.