Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko is set to be ruled out until at least January with a shin injury.

The 23-year-old was struggling with the issue at the beginning of the season and saw his game time carefully managed as the club attempted to nurse him back to full fitness, but those efforts now appear to have been in vain.

Sesko has not featured for the club since their defeat by Brighton in the Carabao Cup on September 16, when he was substituted in the 66th minute.

He missed all of pre-season with the complaint, which also plagued him last season and resurfaced against Liverpool in May, causing him to miss the final three Premier League games.

The Slovenian, who pulled out of international duty last month, now looks set to be sidelined until the new year, dealing a major blow to United during a difficult run of form and leaving Michael Carrick without a recognised striker.

Right winger Bryan Mbeumo has been filling in at No 9, starting their last five games there in all competitions, with Carrick having lost faith in Dutchman Joshua Zirkzee. 

Since joining United from RB Leipzig in a deal worth £73.7million in August 2025, Sesko has made 38 appearances in all competitions, scoring 14 goals and recording one assist.

In regard to this campaign, he has scored once in six appearances across all competitions, against Everton in the Premier League.

He will now miss crucial Premier League games, including meetings with Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as at least three Champions League matches.

United are currently languishing in 16th place in the Premier League, one point clear of the relegation zone.

They face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge this weekend after Carrick held clear-the-air talks with captain Bruno Fernandes on Wednesday following the midfielder's criticism of the manager's tactics after the defeat by Como.

United were beaten 4-1 in the Champions League last Wednesday and Fernandes criticised the decision not to press man-to-man against the Italian side, saying it allowed their opponents to grow in confidence.

Asked whether Carrick had got things wrong tactically, the 32-year-old midfielder said: 'That's on the manager and staff to see it, not me.'

Carrick dropped Fernandes to the bench against Bournemouth and then left him there while bringing on four other substitutes, including teenager Shea Lacey.

Afterwards, Fernandes was among the United players targeted for abuse by fans as they made a public show of support for Carrick before turning on the team.

The Portugal midfielder appeared to respond with a veiled dig at Carrick on Sunday night when he liked a cryptic Instagram post that read: 'Never push a loyal person to the point where they no longer care.'

With Fernandes set to return to the line-up at Stamford Bridge, there was more positive news for United after Kobbie Mainoo resumed training at Carrington on Wednesday.