Provocation tactic? Carrick explains why Shesko hasn’t started for Manchester United! Lamens also a successful example

Benjamin Shesko has repeatedly scored decisive goals for Manchester United, yet he hasn’t started a single game since new coach Carrick took charge. In response, Carrick gave a straightforward explanation, emphasizing that the €85 million striker is still adapting to life at United.

"Benjamin (Shesko) is growing as a player," Carrick explained, "sometimes the progress is significant, sometimes it’s minimal. Recently, he has made some major strides, showing impressive confidence and belief."

If it weren’t for Shesko’s goals coming off the bench, Manchester United might have 5 fewer points! That would mean the Red Devils would have drawn with Fulham and Everton and lost to West Ham. Therefore, he can be considered a key contributor to Carrick’s efforts to secure a return to the Champions League after two years.

If Shesko’s stoppage-time winner against Fulham and last-minute equalizer at West Ham mainly relied on talent and skill, then his goal in the 71st minute against Everton in a 1-0 victory demonstrated his fitness.

At that moment, Shesko passed the ball from the back to Cunha, and after the Brazilian forward sent a long ball to Mbemo, the 22-year-old Slovenian striker sprinted nearly 70 meters, calmly finishing Mbemo’s cross with a low shot. "That was a brilliant strike, taken without hesitation," Carrick praised after the match. "I like the confident way he scores."

Former Liverpool defender Carragher also praised him: "Shesko sprinted 80 yards to score. You’d expect him to be out of breath and gasping, but he wasn’t; he was still full of energy and had enough stamina to celebrate fully."

Shesko has already scored 8 goals this season, with only 2 coming during Ruben Amorim’s coaching period. In his last 7 matches, he has netted 6 goals. Under Fletcher’s management for 2 games, Shesko scored 3 goals; under Carrick’s 6 matches, he also scored 3.

Many feel sorry for Shesko because Carrick has consistently been reluctant to start him. On this, Carrick said: "I understand why everyone talks about this and places so much importance on starting, but things aren’t always that extreme. Benjamin and I have a very good relationship; we’ve had several good conversations, and he’s in great form now. He obviously wants to start, but we have many excellent forwards, and I only have praise for his performances."

For Shesko, the key is that he delivers when the coach asks him to. He is confident about this. "I believe in myself, and my teammates believe in me too," Shesko told Sky Sports UK. "They know what to expect when I come on, whether it’s for 5 minutes or 90, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is to show my ability when given the chance, and I’m very satisfied with that. This match was crucial for us; we had to win. It was tough, we gave everything, and so did the opponents. Both sides were evenly matched, but in the end, we held on and won."

There are still areas for Shesko to improve. In stoppage time, Diogo Dalot delivered another cross, and Shesko should have scored his second goal. Had he capitalized on the chance, Manchester United could have felt less anxious in the final minutes. Unfortunately, his control was poor, and England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford cleared the danger.

Manchester United goalkeeper Sena Lamens might also serve as a role model for Shesko. When he first joined, he wasn’t a starter either but eventually replaced Bainidil. In the match against Everton, the 23-year-old Belgian keeper was named man of the match. He thwarted Everton’s corner routines and saved a long-range shot from Michael Keane, preventing Everton from equalizing.

"Their goalkeeper was outstanding tonight," Moyes said after the game. "He saved Michael (Keane)’s shot, managed the corners well, and handled the pressure we put on him. In my view, their goalkeeper was the best player."