Benjamin Sesko, who was signed from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig this summer, marked his Manchester United debut with a 1-0 loss to Arsenal in the Premier League – and the Slovenian sharpshooter, 22, has spoken out as highlights from his 25-minute cameo have emerged.
Unlikely goalscorer Riccardo Calafiori notched the only goal of the game – latching onto a loose ball at the far post after Altay Bayindir’s weak palm caused havoc in the Red Devils’ penalty box. Ruben Amorim’s men were unable to respond.
Amorim’s men also started with Matheus Cunha, Mason Mount and Bryan Mbeumo spread out across the front line – which meant that Sesko was restricted to 25 minutes once he had replaced Mount to applause from the home contingent.
The football-obsessed centre-forward was unveiled in front of an Old Trafford crowd before their final pre-season friendly against Fiorentina – and, as such, Amorim didn’t deem it wise to play him from the off against Mikel Arteta’s title-chasing Gunners.
Sesko Highlights vs Arsenal Emerge as Striker Speaks Out About Debut
benjamin sesko man utd
There were a number of times throughout the first half, however, that United – despite a smattering of deliveries into the box – were underpowered in the penalty area and Arsenal were able to protect David Raya, who was named Man of the Match.
In terms of Radece-born Sesko, he enjoyed two shots, created the same number of chances and took seven touches – four of which were in Arsenal’s penalty area. In comparison, Viktor Gyokeres enjoyed just three touches in United’s in 60 minutes.
In the highlights package below, you can see that he is capable of causing issues when the goalkeeper – Bayindir, in this case – goes long from goal kicks. The youngster also occupied the box well, too, which is something Amorim’s men struggled with in the first half – as evidenced by their inability to score.
Sesko’s brightest moment came when Leny Yoro found him with a clipped ball; the 22-year-old, with Gabriel Magalhaes on his back, controlled it with his chest and laid it off to Manuel Ugarte with a deft back heel. His physicality – and bulky 6’5” frame – was on show, too, when he competed aerially with Arsenal defenders.
In 2024/25 alone, Sesko – who rose through NK Domzale’s academy ranks pre-2020 – scored 21 goals and notched a further six assists in 45 games across all competitions. Whether his goalscoring prowess can translate into England’s top flight does, however, remain to be seen – but his debut was promising. Taking to Instagram in the wake of losing their season curtain-raiser, Sesko wrote:
“Proud to make my debut at Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams. It wasn’t our day today, a tough and unlucky game, but we will keep pushing forward and giving our best together. This is only the beginning! Come on, Manchester United!”
Amorim echoed Sesko’s thoughts in a post-match interview with Sky Sports. The 40-year-old – widely regarded as one of the best young managers in world football – said: “To lose with a goal like this is hard. We need to be stronger in that moment, but we need to do the same thing in the opposite side.
“We have to adapt to the rules, and today, it’s hard to accept because we were the better team. I’m really proud of the guys. They were really brave in everything they did during the game. Congratulations for the performance, but not congratulations [for the result] because we lost the game at home.”