LONDON — Ruben Amorim raised fears that Benjamin Sesko could be facing a lengthy injury lay-off after Manchester United’s £74 million ($97m) centre-forward limped out of the 2-2 draw against Tottenham with a knee problem.
Sesko, a 58th minute substitute against Thomas Frank’s team, left the field in 88th minute after going down injured following a challenge by Spurs defender Micky van de Ven.
The Slovenia international was able to walk off the pitch after treatment, but when asked about Sesko’s condition after the game, United head coach Amorim said that he was concerned about the extent of the injury.
«We have to check,» Amorim told reporters. «He has something in his knee, so let’s see. We think he has a problem.»
When asked specifical whether Sesko could be facing a lengthy period out of the team with the injury, Amorim was unable to offer a positive assessment.
«It’s the knee and we never know,» he said. «I think that [Sesko form] is not the biggest concern now. I’m more concerned with an injury because it’s in the knee and I don’t know [how serious it is].»
With United set to lose forwards Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo to Africa Cup of Nations duty with Ivory Coast and Cameroon respectively next month — Morocco defender Noussair Mazraoui will also play in the tournament — Amorim admitted that the club could be forced to add to the squad in January, especially if Sesko is sidelined.
«We have to check everything,» Amorim said. «We have to check what’s happened with Ben, but of course we are going to have a problem there [with AFCON players] — we already knew that, so you can then prepare for that in the summer.
«Managing that situation is going to be hard, but let’s see when the window is open, if we can improve the team and trying to repair something that happened. We have to take the chance.»
United remain in contention for Champions League qualification after extending their unbeaten Premier League run to five games, but Amorim’s side have drawn their last two away games, albeit by scoring late equalisers against Spurs and Nottingham Forest.
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But Amorim said United could and should have beaten Spurs by showing more «bravery.»
«We have a lot of problems and just in the beginning of improving, but we should do better, be more aggressive and feel atmosphere in stadium,» he said.
«The three points were there. We controlled the game well, but we need to do better.
«When you cannot win you don’t lose, once again we did that. We have so much to grow as a team, because today was our day to win this game.
«We need to look at ourselves, we were not pressing with the same intensity, we felt comfortable but we need to understand that if we had more bravery, we kill the game.»
