Wayne Rooney has apologised to Benjamin Sesko, with Manchester United sitting 12th in the Premier League. The club has taken just five points from their first five league games and has already exited the Carabao Cup.
The Wayne Rooney Benjamin Sesko apology followed comments on his Stick to United podcast, in which he accused the striker of refusing to play through a shin injury. He softened his tone once he learned how serious the problem actually was.
Sesko has been managing the issue for several weeks, coming off the bench in four straight league fixtures before missing the goalless draw with Fulham altogether. The injury also forced him out of Slovenia’s squad during the international break, adding another name to a growing list of fitness concerns facing Michael Carrick.
Sesko shin injury: How the situation developed
Sesko’s recent appearances tell their own story. He was introduced from the bench in four consecutive Premier League matches before Carrick left him out of the squad entirely for Fulham. The shin complaint was judged serious enough to rule him out of international duty as well.
It was against that backdrop that Rooney made his original remarks. Speaking on his Stick to United podcast, Rooney was quoted by the Manchester Evening News making the original claim.
“If you’re trying to play No. 9 [for Man United] and you’ve got a must-win game and you’ve got a sore shin and you’re not playing… that’s a big part of the problem. Unless you physically can’t play, you play when you’re injured.”
That lean start to the season is the backdrop to the Wayne Rooney Benjamin Sesko story.
Rooney retracts stance on playing through pain
Rooney’s change of heart came quickly once he understood more about the injury.
“Well, if it’s long-term, then I suppose I should apologise,” he said, a notable shift from a pundit who rarely backs away from strong opinions on his old club.
He then turned the apology directly to the player.
“So, I apologise, Sesko. I apologise if I misjudged you. Sorry,” Rooney said, closing out a rare and fairly swift climbdown.
The episode says as much about the gap between punditry and the treatment room as it does about Sesko himself. Rooney judged the situation from outside, without the medical detail available to Carrick’s staff, and his apology shows how different a fair assessment can look once the full picture emerges.
What happens next for Carrick’s squad
Sesko is not the only injury worry during the international break. Noussair Mazraoui was forced off in Morocco’s win over Lesotho, while Bruno Fernandes and Patrick Dorgu are both carrying fitness concerns that will need managing before domestic football resumes. It adds to a recent squad injury setback that has already stretched Carrick’s options this season.
United are also due to play Swiss side Lausanne-Sport in a behind-closed-doors friendly during the break, according to The Telegraph, though the exact date and venue have not been confirmed. It gives Carrick a chance to assess fitness levels away from the pressure of a competitive fixture.
When the Premier League returns, points will matter more than friendlies. United have produced some classic Premier League encounters in recent seasons. Carrick will want this squad, Sesko included, fit enough to add to that record rather than explain away team selection after the event.
