Ruben Amorim has revealed what he is expecting Manchester United teammates to do for Benjamin Šeško in their game against Manchester City.
Manchester United return to Premier League action this weekend with a derby clash against Manchester City, as Ruben Amorim takes his side across town for a high-stakes encounter.
Both teams have endured shaky starts to the campaign. United have picked up one win, one draw, and one defeat, while City also sit on just three points from their first three matches, leaving them down in 13th place.
This derby offers a vital chance for either club to kickstart their season and land an early psychological blow on their fiercest rivals in what is already shaping up to be a turbulent campaign.
The last time the sides met at the Etihad ended in drama, with late goals from Bruno Fernandes and Amad completing a remarkable 2-1 comeback for United just before the new year.
Amorim reveals what United teammates must do for Šeško
Amorim has hinted ahead of the Manchester derby that Benjamin Šeško could be in line to make his full Premier League debut after appearing off the bench in the first three league fixtures.
Šeško, 22, has not had many chances to impress so far but the United boss believes that he is already offering different attributes upfront to others in the squad, particularly in the air.
But Amorim also claimed that he wants his United players to use him more as a runner, with passes in behind or towards the channels for him to run onto and fight for.
“I think more than looking at exactly what he did during the games, it is what he can bring to our team,” Amorim said of Sesko in his pre-match press conference.
“If you see, against Burnley, he had some movements, especially inside the box, that we don’t have with Josh [Zirkzee], [Matheus] Cunha and even with Rasmus [Hojlund] in the past.
“We have a guy who likes to go inside the box to have a header, he can run – we need to use him more as a runner. He’s going to improve.
“You can feel that he feels the pace is different, he’s going to get used to that, but maybe, against City, it’s a good moment to start the game!”
United can punish City in transitions
Šeško’s ability in the air is the main thing that has jumped off the page for United fans in the small amount of game-time he has had so far. It will be useful in many games.
But as Amorim suggested, the Slovenian must also be fed through the channels as a runner, and that is also a kind of situation he can excel in with the power and pace he possesses.
Importantly, against City, United aren’t going to be camped inside the City half with constant attacks, which means that aerial ability probably isn’t going to make the difference.
United can punish Guardiola’s men on the transition, however, and Šeško’s ability to run and stretch the pitch will be useful. Bryan Mbeumo will also be key for United in this clash.
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