“The experiment is over. It’s time for the beast to be unleashed.” Michael Carrick has been told he MUST drop the struggling star who was once called Ruben Amorim’s “best player” after another 4/10 disasterclass!

The patience has finally snapped. After another dismal display that has left Manchester United fans and pundits alike searching for answers, Michael Carrick has been given an ultimatum: drop the struggling star who was once hailed as Ruben Amorim’s “best player” before his catastrophic decline.

**”The experiment is over. It’s time for the beast to be unleashed.”**

That verdict, now echoing through Old Trafford’s corridors, captures the growing frustration surrounding a player whose performances have plummeted to alarming depths. The culprit? Benjamin Sesko—the £73.6m Slovenian striker whose 4/10 disasterclass has become the final straw in a season of underachievement .

## The “Best Player” Accolade That Now Haunts

When Ruben Amorim arrived at Manchester United in November 2024, he inherited a squad in transition. Among the players he identified as foundational to his project was Sesko, the towering Slovenian signed from RB Leipzig for a fee that made him United’s most expensive acquisition of the Amorim era .

Amorim’s system—a 3-4-3 built on high pressing and rapid transitions—was designed to maximise Sesko’s attributes. The Portuguese coach repeatedly praised the striker’s potential, framing him as the long-term solution to United’s perpetual search for a consistent goalscorer.

But Amorim’s departure in January 2026 left Sesko in limbo. And under Michael Carrick, the striker’s form has deteriorated to crisis point.

## The 4/10 Disasterclass: Evidence Mounts

The statistics paint a damning picture. In the first half of the 2025-26 season, Sesko managed just **two goals in 16 appearances**—a return so meagre that SunSport’s experts awarded him a **3/10 rating**, noting that he “often misses or squanders opportunities” and that “this lack of finishing has cost Man Utd dearly in many matches” .

The Brighton FA Cup defeat was particularly brutal. In a match where United crashed out 2-1 at Old Trafford, Sesko received a **5/10 rating**—one of the higher scores in a dismal team performance, but still reflective of a striker failing to impose himself .

Yet even these numbers don’t capture the full extent of the frustration. Sesko’s movement, his decision-making, his ability to hold up play—all have been questioned by observers who expected far more from a £73.6m investment.

## The Amad Situation: Who Makes Way?

Gary Neville has been unequivocal in his assessment. The former United captain has told Carrick that Sesko **must start** against Crystal Palace—but that means dropping someone else .

**”For Sesko now, I think on Sunday against Crystal Palace, he starts,”** Neville declared on Sky Sports. **”I haven’t always been convinced about him this season, but what you have to do is move with what you see”** .

Neville’s proposed solution is to drop Amad Diallo, despite the Ivorian’s contributions this season:

**”We will probably see Matheus Cunha on the left, Bryan Mbeumo on the right, Sesko up top and Bruno in behind. And I think Amad will just slip in behind for a game. Amad has been really good but Sesko has to start, he’s been scoring winners and equalisers, you have to put him in”** .

The logic is simple: Sesko has scored in three consecutive appearances off the bench, including the winner against Everton . His celebration after that goal—a strut to the away fans, a message of defiance—was interpreted by Neville as a clear statement: **”Get me in this damn team now. This is my start next time”** .

## The Carrick Dilemma: Loyalty vs. Logic

Michael Carrick faces an agonising choice. The interim manager, who has won five of his six Premier League matches in charge, has built momentum through stability and trust . Disrupting that formula carries risk.

But as Neville warned, failing to start Sesko now **”would kill the lad”** . The psychological impact of repeatedly being denied a start despite scoring from the bench cannot be overstated.

Carrick himself has acknowledged Sesko’s growth, stating after the Everton win: **”He is growing as a player. Sometimes it’s big steps, sometimes it’s little steps. He has taken some huge ones recently”** .

The question is whether those “huge steps” have earned him a place in the starting XI—and who makes way to accommodate him.

## The Amad Argument: Unfair Sacrifice?

Amad Diallo has been one of United’s more consistent performers this season, earning a **7/10** rating for the first half of the campaign . His partnership with Bryan Mbeumo has transformed United’s right flank from a weakness into a genuine attacking threat.

Dropping him for a player who has struggled for 16 games would be a harsh call—but Neville argues it’s the right one.

**”Amad has been really good but Sesko has to start, he’s been scoring winners and equalisers, you have to put him in”** .

The counter-argument is that Sesko could be integrated alongside Amad, with Mbeumo or Cunha making way instead. But Neville’s preferred solution—Cunha left, Mbeumo right, Sesko central—leaves Amad as the odd man out.

## What “Unleashing the Beast” Means

The phrase **”it’s time for the beast to be unleashed”** carries specific meaning in this context. Sesko’s physical profile—6’5″, powerful, athletic—was the primary reason for his £73.6m price tag . He was meant to be United’s version of Erling Haaland, a dominant presence capable of terrorising defences.

Instead, he has been a shadow of that player. Lacking confidence, hesitant in front of goal, peripheral in matches—the “beast” has been caged by his own struggles.

The argument now is that only regular starts can unlock his potential. That the only way to justify the investment is to trust him through the difficult moments, to show faith that builds belief.

Neville’s intervention is designed to force Carrick’s hand. **”I think it would kill the lad if he didn’t start on Sunday”** . Those are strong words—a warning that another bench role could permanently damage a player already fragile.

## The Amorim Legacy: A Player Left Behind

Sesko’s struggles cannot be separated from the managerial chaos that has defined United’s season. Signed specifically for Amorim’s system, he has now played under three different managers in less than a year .

The Portuguese coach’s departure in January left Sesko in tactical no-man’s land. Carrick’s system differs from Amorim’s, and the adjustment has clearly been difficult.

The half-season ratings from SunSport captured this perfectly: Sesko received a **3/10**, with the brutal assessment that “Man Utd spent a staggering £73.6 million to sign him, but Sesko has only scored 2 goals in 16 games” .

For context, that’s the same score as Manuel Ugarte, who has been widely considered a transfer failure, and Joshua Zirkzee, who is expected to leave the club .

## The Crystal Palace Test

Sunday’s home fixture against Crystal Palace represents a crossroads. If Carrick starts Sesko and he delivers, the narrative transforms overnight. The “beast” is unleashed, the faith rewarded, the investment justified.

If Sesko starts and struggles, the questions intensify. If he’s benched again, the psychological damage may be irreparable.

Neville has made his position clear. The former captain, who understands United’s standards as well as anyone, believes the moment has arrived.

**”I think now on Sunday Michael Carrick starts him. I think it would kill the lad if he didn’t start on Sunday”** .

## The Verdict: Experiment Over, Faith Required

**”The experiment is over. It’s time for the beast to be unleashed.”**

That message, whether delivered by pundits, fans, or internal voices, reflects a consensus that has been building for weeks. Sesko has shown flashes—winners against Fulham and Everton, an equaliser at West Ham . He has earned the right to prove himself over 90 minutes.

The alternative—continuing to use him as an impact substitute while starting others—risks permanent damage to a £73.6m asset. At some point, faith must be shown. At some point, the experiment must become the plan.

For Michael Carrick, the Crystal Palace match offers that opportunity. A home crowd, a winnable fixture, a chance to unleash the player who was meant to be United’s future.

The beast has been caged long enough. Sunday, finally, he may be set free.