Benjamin Sesko’s late equaliser for Manchester United in a 1-1 draw against West Ham United ensured his side remained unbeaten under Michael Carrick. A disappointing display from the visitors at the London Stadium on Tuesday frustrated the caretaker manager, whose four-match winning streak came to an end.
Tomas Soucek gave the hosts the lead in the 70th minute after poor defending from Luke Shaw allowed Nuno Espirito Santo’s men to hit the Reds on the break. But Sesko came to the fore, and a moment of brilliance from the Slovenian stole a point in the 90+6th minute.
Manchester United had several chances to equalise before this, including when Casemiro had the ball in the back of the net. The Brazilian midfielder’s lack of celebration indicated that he was in an offside position, and VAR agreed.
The result means the Reds remain fourth in the Premier League table, two points behind third-place Aston Villa. It wasn’t a disaster by any means, but one of Carrick’s men continues to frustrate and might be headed for the Old Trafford exit door.
West Ham 1-1 Manchester United – Joshua’s jigsaw
Joshua Zirkzee has been a puzzle for Manchester United’s coaching staff since he arrived from Bologna in the summer of 2024. The Reds thought they were signing a promising striker who had bagged 11 goals in 34 games in the 2023-24 Serie A campaign.
The 24-year-old was misprofiled, and he’s more of a nine-and-a-half than a natural striker as he drops deep and holds the ball up. This wasn’t the profile required at the time the Red Devils paid £36.5m for his services.
The Dutch attacker’s goalscoring numbers have been a massive cause for concern, and he’s managed just two goals in 18 league outings this season. He entered the fray against West Ham in the 82nd minute and wasted a golden opportunity in the 90+3rd minute.
Zirkzee got on the end of a Bruno Fernandes’ cross, but his header flew just wide of the post. A solid effort from the forward, but just another miss to add to his collection of spurned opportunities for the Reds.
Sesko showed the Dutchman how it’s done with his clever finish right at the death. The Slovenian appears to be the first team’s only number nine, and that should be addressed this summer.
Zirkzee’s days looked numbered
While Zirkzee’s mentality can’t be faulted, he hasn’t lived up to expectations, and it feels likely that this will be his last season with the club. A return to Italy could be on the cards for the former Bayern Munich youngster, who has three years left on his contract.
According to Italian outlet Radio Manà Manà Sport, AS Roma remain interested in Zirkzee, who was on their radar in January. The Serie A outfit has been monitoring the United frontman over recent months and could make a move for him this summer.
Zirkzee appears to be open to leaving Old Trafford, given his lack of regular game time not only under Carrick but also his predecessor, Ruben Amorim. He has started just four of 18 league games this season and is playing backup to Sesko.
“Zirkzee… what is he? Is he a No.9 or a No.10? Is he going to get you 20 goals? I don’t think so. I think they’re relying more on hope than actual proven quality” – Paul Scholes
Manchester United should look to move the Dutchman on and sign a proven striker with experience. That could be a Premier League option, such as Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who was offered to the club before he joined Leeds United, per Fabrizio Romano writing for GIVEMESPORT.
Calvert-Lewin has impressed at Leeds since arriving as a free agent after leaving Everton last summer. The 28-year-old has scored 10 goals in 23 games, and he might be prepared to take on a rotational role, especially if his current club suffer relegation.
