Tim Sherwood suggests Michael Carrick doesn’t trust £74m Man Utd star

Tim Sherwood says Benjamin Sesko isn’t yet the ‘answer’ for Manchester United up front and Michael Carrick has shown he is not ready to place his full trust in the striker this season.

Sesko hit an impressive run of form towards the back-end of last season but has been limited to substitute appearances three matches into the new Premier League campaign.

On Sunday, the 23-year-old attacker was sent on in the closing stages for the third match on the bounce, with the Red Devils seeking a winner after Tyrique George’s stunning equaliser for Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Sesko made his presence known from the off and was rewarded for his efforts as he restored the visitors’ advantage with a fine header past Jordan Pickford with only two minutes remaining of normal time.

The goal sent United’s away support into raptures on Merseyside, with Carrick’s men seemingly on course for their second straight victory after their 5-2 defeat of Ipswich at Old Trafford.

But the Toffees rallied again and levelled for a second time in the match through substitute Ainsley Maitland-Niles, who fired a curling 30-yard effort into the corner of Senne Lammens’ goal to make it 2-2 at the death.

Carrick may be tempted to throw Sesko in for his first start of the season on Wednesday night when United kick off their Champions League campaign at home to Azerbaijani minnows Sabah.

However, ex-Tottenham and Aston Villa manager Sherwood still has doubts surrounding the Slovenian centre-forward – doubts he believes Carrick may share.

‘Where do you find that striker? Everyone is looking for it, Arsenal are looking for it,’ Sherwood said on Sky Sports News.

‘Sesko isn’t the answer because no one wants to play him.

‘He comes on, he’s done alright, he’s come on and scored a few goals off the bench.

‘But if he was top drawer, do you think Michael Carrick would be playing him? Of course he would.

‘He wouldn’t be wanting to play someone else out of position.’

According to Sherwood, there also remain question marks when it comes to United’s midfield options, despite the club spending big on Andrey Santos, Youri Tielemans and Carlos Baleba this summer.

‘I think they need protection in front [of the defence],’ he added.

‘Youri Tielemans is good, he can pass forwards, can control the tempo. Kobbie Mainoo as well, Andrey Santos exactly the same.

‘We go back to that Arsenal defence back in the day, they had Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit, two dinosaurs in there eating up the ground, protecting the defenders.

‘Tony Adams and Steve Bould were just saying, “Move to the left, move to the right”, they were just eating up the ground. That’s protection.

‘That’s what Manchester United need, they need someone in there. I don’t think Carlos Baleba is that guy.

‘I think Baleba is all action, he’s all over the pitch. You just wind him up and just can’t stop him until the end of the game but I’m not sure he knows the game to just protect and sit in front of the defence. They’re going to need that.’

United have their most daunting task yet next up in the Premier League away to leaders Manchester City, who have picked up nine points from a possible nine this season.

But for Sherwood, now is not the time to panic for Carrick and his squad.

‘Listen, going back to yesterday’s game… I’ve managed in games like that,’ he went on.

‘You can be in control of a game and then all of a sudden, 95th minute, someone sticks one in the top corner and then it’s a disaster, everything’s a disaster.

‘If Ainsley Maitland-Niles doesn’t hit that wonderful strike, we’re here today saying, “Decent return for United, this”, and that’s the fine margins of football management.

‘Michael Carrick knows that, all managers know that, and that’s what happens: a 30-yarder out of nowhere and all of a sudden, everything is useless. That’s not the case.’