‘It’ll Kill Him’: Gary Neville Urges Michael Carrick to Bench Amad for Goal-Hungry Benjamin Sesko

The pressure is mounting on Michael Carrick to overhaul his frontline ahead of Manchester United’s clash with Crystal Palace this Sunday. Following another decisive cameo from the bench, club legend Gary Neville has insisted that “super-sub” Benjamin Sesko can no longer be ignored.

Despite scoring crucial goals against Fulham and West Ham earlier this month, the 23-year-old Slovenian was again left on the bench for the trip to Everton. However, Sesko responded in the best possible way, netting a 71st-minute winner at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to secure a vital 1-0 victory.

“Move with what you see”

Speaking on Sky Sports, Neville argued that keeping Sesko on the sidelines any longer would be detrimental to the striker’s soaring confidence.

“I think it would kill the lad if he didn’t start on Sunday,” Neville claimed. “He looks like he is growing in his game and in his body; he has more power in his performance. Michael Carrick has to start him now.”

Neville’s proposed tactical shift would see a change in the attacking trio:

• The Odd Man Out: Amad Diallo, who has been a regular starter, would likely drop to the bench.
• The New Frontline: A dynamic trio of Matheus Cunha (Left), Bryan Mbeumo (Right), and Sesko as the focal point, with Bruno Fernandes operating in the ‘Number 10’ role.

A Message Sent and Received

Sesko’s aggressive celebration in front of the traveling fans at Everton didn’t go unnoticed. After a difficult start to the 2025/26 campaign under Ruben Amorim, the former RB Leipzig man has now netted three goals in his last four appearances, taking his season total to eight.

For Neville, the celebration was a clear statement of intent: “That was a message to say, ‘Get me in this damn team now, I start next time’.”

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Thiago Nuno

Thiago Nuno is a football editor and analyst covering European leagues, match statistics, and transfer market trends.