Two goals in two games – Sesko gives Man Utd a new attacking dimension

Manchester United beat Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK in the Champions League at Old Trafford, but the more significant story of the night was the return of striker Benjamin Sesko to the starting line-up.

The 23-year-old Slovenian started a match for the first time since last March's game against Liverpool, when he finally accepted he could no longer play through a shin problem that had troubled him for weeks. Hopes that he would be ready for the start of the Premier League season did not materialise, and he was limited to substitute appearances against Hull, Ipswich and Everton.

Standing 6ft 5in, Sesko offers United a physical presence their other forwards lack. With Amad Diallo still absent, Carrick cannot deploy Bryan Mbeumo through the middle as he did in pre-season, while Matheus Cunha tends to drift and drop deeper, leaving a gap at the top of the attack. Sesko does the opposite — he pushes defenders back and is difficult to dispossess.

Against Everton, his height allowed him to score with a close-range header, though United ultimately failed to win that game after a late strike from Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Against Sabah FK, Sesko first showed his touch with a first-half back-flick, then ran onto a pass from Mbeumo, calmly went round goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov and finished into an empty net.

"Of course, I'm happy with my goal," Sesko told TNT afterwards, explaining that he saw the goalkeeper rushing out and used the chance to go around him.

Carrick said Sesko provides a different kind of threat thanks to his physicality, ability to play on the last line and pace in behind, adding he was pleased to see the striker back to this level after working hard to regain his fitness.

Carrick must now decide whether to trust Sesko's fitness again for Sunday's derby against Manchester City or revert to Cunha. That choice would also affect whether Cunha, who scored against Sabah, or Marcus Rashford — an unused substitute against Sabah who has yet to score or assist since returning from his loan at Barcelona but has been United's most consistent threat with his pace — starts on the left.