Amorim defends Sesko, reassures Man United fans

Ruben Amorim has publicly stood by Benjamin Sesko amid criticism, admitting the Slovenian striker is "struggling" at Man United but insisting he will defend and trust the £73.7m player in the long term.

Amorim reassures: Difficulty is temporary, faith is long-term

Responding to comments from Gary Neville — who described Sesko as "clumsy" and "wanted to see more" after the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest — the United boss was frank in admitting his player was struggling. However, he stressed it was not a personal issue and that the whole team had a responsibility to protect the young striker.

Amorim called the current judgements just "an opinion that will change in three weeks", while reiterating the core message: belief in Sesko's hard work and in his development trajectory at Old Trafford.

Source of pressure: Old Trafford and the magnifying glass of public opinion

Amorim describes Man United as “the toughest club” – where any sub-par performance is immediately put under the magnifying glass of legends, pundits and the media. For a young, inexperienced Premier League striker, maintaining confidence in that environment is a huge challenge.

The coach's message to fans: look at problems in terms of process, not in terms of moment.

Selected statistics: Sesko's two-halve painting

• 2 goals in 11 games for Man United.
• Transfer fee: £73.7 million.
• Before coming to England: 39 goals in 87 games for RB Leipzig.

The contrasting figures between the recent past and the present clearly outline the adaptive challenge, and also explain why Amorim emphasizes the element of time.

Tactical angle: why do young strikers need an adaptation period?

In a high-tempo, high-impact environment like the Premier League, a centre-forward must be able to juggle two requirements: accuracy in the box and connection with the team. Performance comes not only from the instinct to score goals but also from movement, positioning and synchronisation with the back line.

For Sesko, these elements need time to sink into the new system. That’s why Amorim emphasizes the role of the collective: to reduce pressure, provide better ball services and create a context for the young striker to make simpler decisions in the 18-yard area.

Neville criticizes, dressing room responds with patronage

Gary Neville's comments after the 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest touched on a glaring weakness: Sesko's touch and sharpness at crucial moments. But Amorim responded in the manner of a coach choosing to build: "it's just an opinion that can change in three weeks" and Man United will "stand up and help and protect" their player.

This emphasis is important because it re-establishes priorities: stabilizing the mind, maintaining confidence, and continuing the work process instead of reacting to public opinion.

Impact: Repositioning Fan Expectations

In the short term, Amorim's statement helps to ease the pressure on Sesko after a period of 2 goals in 11 matches. In the long term, the statement "will be our striker for the long term" shows a clear plan for the Slovenian striker, considering what is happening as "the normal ups and downs of football".

With consistent messaging from the coaching staff, Man United are sending signals of a controlled development process — where young players are allowed to make mistakes, as long as they continue to work hard to change the picture in the coming weeks.