Wayne Rooney says Man Utd signing is ‘making it easier’ for three team-mates

Wayne Rooney has heaped praise on Benjamin Sesko following Manchester United’s 2-0 victory over Sunderland, claiming the ‘handful’ striker is ‘making it easier’ for team-mates with his presence up front.

With serious questions being asked of Ruben Amorim’s position, United produced an encouraging performance in front of a rapturous Old Trafford crowd to move up to tenth in the table.

Mason Mount got the Red Devils off to the perfect start with superb finish past Robin Roefs to open the scoring and Sesko doubled the hosts’ advantage in the 31st minute to further ease any nerves inside the Theatre of Dreams.

Sesko took his goalscoring tally to two in eight games with his strike from close range and the sense of relief was clear to see in the Slovenian’s celebration after what has been a tough start to his United career.

Weighty expectations have been placed on Sesko’s shoulder following a £73.7million move from RB Leipzig in the summer and the forward is beginning to showcase what he could bring to Amorim’s attack.

The 22-year-old will no doubt be desperate to pick up where he left off after the international break when United return to Premier League action away to bitter rivals Liverpool.

‘I think he’s a handful and I think he uses his body well, he challenges for balls,’ Rooney said of Sesko’s display on The Wayne Rooney Show.

‘It makes it easier for [Bryan] Mbeumo, [Matheus] Cunha when he’s on, or Mount to make runs in behind him, so I think that’s clearly something they’ve worked on.

‘Obviously getting another goal will help him so the win was massive for all the players and for the manager and it was much-needed.’

Rooney also reserved special praise for summer signing Senne Lammens, who will have been delighted to come away from Old Trafford with a clean sheet on debut.

‘The goalkeeper did well. He obviously had the misjudgement where he’s come out the box and that could end up a different way,’ the legendary ex-United and England striker added.

‘But I thought, in the main, he simplified things and that’s not a bad thing for a ‘keeper. He didn’t take too many touches on the ball, he got the ball forward quickly and it was effective.

‘Sesko has been good at winning headers and Mbeumo running in behind him so I actually thought United got their tactics right.

‘Amorim slightly changed his tactics and went with two forwards up top and it worked, certainly for the first 30 minutes.

‘Sunderland had to change it early on in the first half and they saw the game out well from there. Sunderland didn’t really cause that many problems.’

Rooney, who has been vocal with his criticism of United this season, urged Amorim’s players to remain ‘focussed’ on steering the club back towards the top of the table.

‘It’s not something I really want to do but I feel you have to tell the truth,’ the five-time Premier League winner said of recent comments he had made about Amorim’s side.

‘Ruben Amorim himself has been critical of the players and it wasn’t long ago that he was telling us it was the worst Manchester United team in the history of the club.

‘That’s him being honest and if that’s his thoughts, that’s his thoughts.

‘But for the players, they have to keep focussed on what they’re doing and he’s the manager so listen to what he’s saying, tactically what he wants, and try to win games.

‘That’s the only way it changes unfortunately. I’ve been there as a player, being criticised as a player, and you have to try to focus on your job and win games.

‘Manchester United are still one of the biggest clubs in the world so you have to expect to be criticised when you don’t win or play well and on the flip side of the that, the benefits of winning games are huge.’

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