Michael Carrick Drops Man Utd Star to Start Benjamin Sesko vs. Crystal Palace

Old Trafford, Sunday — Michael Carrick has made the most eye-catching selection call of his fledgling Manchester United tenure, relegating in-form winger Amad Diallo to the bench and handing Benjamin Šeško a maiden start for today’s Premier League meeting with Crystal Palace.

The 20-year-old Slovenian striker, signed from RB Leipzig in the summer, had been limited to cameo appearances under Carrick, failing to make a single start in the interim manager’s opening half-dozen fixtures. Yet a sequence of decisive interventions has forced the issue: Šeško’s stoppage-time winner against Fulham last month was followed by game-changing goals off the bench in successive victories over West Ham United and Everton.

Carrick’s previous preferred front four — Bryan Mbeumo through the middle, flanked by Matheus Cunha and Amad, with Bruno Fernandes in the hole — has been reshuffled. Mbeumo retains his place but shifts wide, allowing Šeško to spearhead the attack, while Amad drops among the substitutes for the first time since the former Middlesbrough boss took charge.

The Ivorian’s omission is a stark indicator of how quickly fortunes can reverse. Amad was one of the few standout performers during Ruben Amorim’s turbulent reign, reinventing himself as an attacking wing-back and scoring twice before departing for the Africa Cup of Nations. Since returning to find Carrick at the helm, he has started every match but contributed neither a goal nor an assist, his shot volume and chance creation declining sharply.

By contrast, Šeško’s impact has been impossible to ignore. Called into a 2–0 home defeat to Arsenal for only nine minutes, he watched United’s midfield crumble without the suspended Casemiro. A fortnight later he entered the Fulham match with 15 minutes remaining and snatched a 94th-minute winner. The towering forward’s blend of physical presence and predatory instinct has since bailed United out twice more, persuading Carrick that the moment has arrived for a full audition from the first whistle.

United’s reshaped XI lines up as follows: Senne Lammens in goal; a back four of Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Leny Yoro and Luke Shaw; Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo anchoring midfield; Mbeumo, Fernandes and Cunha supporting Šeško.

Among the substitutes, Amad is joined by fellow attacking option Joshua Zirkzee, midfield reinforcements Manuel Ugarte and Tyler Fletcher, plus defensive cover in Ayden Heaven, Tyrell Malacia and Noussair Mazraoui.

Carrick explained his decision succinctly in the match-day programme: “Benjamin has earned the right with performances that have changed games. We need that presence from the start.”

Whether Šeško can justify his manager’s faith over 90 minutes rather than cameos will go a long way toward deciding if United can climb further up the table and edge closer to the European places.