Micah Richards has insisted that Michael Carrick’s “simplified” approach to Benjamin Sesko has been mirrored with other key Manchester United players like Bruno Fernandes.
Michael Carrick has been able to unlock the real potential behind striker Benjamin Sesko after he replaced Ruben Amorim in the Old Trafford hot seat in January.
Sesko has been in and out of the Manchester United starting XI under Carrick, but the 22-year-old Slovenia international has entered a superb run of goalscoring form.
The United summer signing has netted five times in Carrick’s first nine matches as interim Red Devils head coach after Ruben Amorim was sacked as the club’s manager.
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Benjamin Sesko celebrates during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Crystal Palace at Old Trafford in 2026 in Manchester, England.
Photo by Richard Sellers/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images
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Micah Richards reveals why Benjamin Sesko is in the same bracket as Man Utd star Bruno Fernandes under Michael Carrick
Manchester United legend Michael Carrick made the decision to drop Benjamin Sesko from the starting XI for the Red Devils’ Premier League encounter with Aston Villa.
Bryan Mbeumo led the frontline for Man Utd against Aston Villa, but Sesko would make the bigger impact out of the two in Sunday’s 3-1 win at Old Trafford.
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Sesko replaced Bryan Mbeumo late in the 77th minute at the weekend and the Slovenia and United striker found the back of the net only five minutes later.
Speaking after United’s major result over Villa, Micah Richards singled Carrick’s handling of Sesko, Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes and Amad Diallo.
“Yeah, but he simplified the game for them,” he said in response to Gary Lineker on The Rest Is Football podcast.
“He’s got better players now, obviously, the way he’s using Sesko, bringing him on, Cunha, Mbeumo, Fernandes, Diallo, like, they’re all playing a good part now.”
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Gary Lineker’s response to Micah Richards’ assessment of Benjamin Sesko and Man Utd stars during Michael Carrick’s reign
Sesko has now netted 10 times and registered one assist in 27 matches across all competitions for Man Utd in his debut season at Old Trafford.
During Richards’ feelings around Sesko and Co, Gary Lineker was quick to spotlight that United interim boss Carrick made the simple tactical changes necessary.
“Well, because they’re playing in their rightful positions. That’s the thing,” he said.
Richards insisted that Lineker’s point was the glaring problem that the Red Devils faced under former United manager Ruben Amorim ahead of Carrick’s arrival.
“And that’s the thing: the frustrating thing with Amorim,” he responded.
“You haven’t got the players to play your way, but you continue to play that way.
“And then when you go back to a 4-2-3-1, you get a result. And then you revert back to going back to three. I just… I didn’t understand it.
“But he needs a lot of credit, Carrick does, because that was a difficult job to take at that time.”
Carrick has eight Premier League matches left as United interim head coach before the end of the 2025-26 campaign at Old Trafford.
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