The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official editorial policy or position of LiveScore. Footballers fluctuate. Form rises and dips. But rarely does a striker’s output swing as violently as it has this season for Benjamin Šeško at Manchester United.
Under one manager, he looked peripheral and blunt. Under another, he has looked lethal. The shift is not subtle. It is statistical whiplash.
The question is simple: what changed?
The RB Leipzig Days
Before we dig into his current form, let’s look at why Manchester United brought him in, with his data from his days at RB Leipzig.
Šeško’s numbers at RB Leipzig suggested steady upward growth rather than volatility. In the 2023-24 Bundesliga season, He recorded 14 league goals in 31 appearances, averaging roughly 0.45 goals per game.
He added four goals in eight Champions League matches, taking his tally to 18 in 42 appearances across all competitions. His shot volume was consistent, averaging just over three attempts per 90 minutes in the league, underlining a forward regularly finding scoring positions. The data painted a picture of a developing No 9: not yet elite, but reliably productive in a high-tempo, transition-heavy side.
The Amorim Period: Structure Over Sharpness
Under Ruben Amorim, Šeško made 17 appearances and scored just 2 goals. That is 0.12 goals per game. For a centre-forward signed to lead the line, it is underwhelming.
The deeper metric is even harsher. Šeško averaged over 500 minutes per goal in that stretch. Elite strikers tend to hover closer to 120–180 minutes per goal. Five hundred signals dysfunction, whether individual or structural.
He started 11 of those matches. Trust was not absent. Service, however, often was. There were games where he failed to register a shot on target. For a No 9, invisibility in decisive zones is fatal.
Amorim’s approach prioritised control. The shape was disciplined. The build-up patient. Šeško frequently dropped into channels, linking play and facilitating wide runners. In theory, it was collective football. In practice, United often lacked a constant penalty-box presence.
Two goals in 17 appearances. Over 500 minutes per goal.
Strikers live and die by the repetition of chances. Under Amorim, those repetitions were rare.
The Carrick Shift: Direct and Decisive
Then came Michael Carrick. Seven appearances. Six goals. Thats 0.86 goals per game. Even more dramatic: roughly one goal every 45 to 50 minutes. From over 500 minutes per goal to under 50.
The usage changed. Carrick initially deployed Šeško as an impact substitute. Short bursts. Clear instruction: stay central, attack the six-yard box, finish instinctively. Less structural burden. More clarity.
The results were immediate. Goals that swung matches. Contributions that secured points during United’s post-Amorim surge. He was no longer peripheral; he was decisive.
Confidence is not abstract. A striker scoring every 45 minutes moves differently. He attacks space earlier. He shoots sooner. Hesitation evaporates.
Carrick simplified the role and amplified the instinct.
System or Player?
The divergence highlights a familiar tension in modern football. Do players adapt fully to systems, or do systems bend toward player strengths?
Under Amorim, Šeško functioned within a carefully controlled structure. Under Carrick, he has been encouraged to attack chaos. His strengths, aerial presence, explosive runs, penalty-box instincts, flourish in vertical transitions.
It would be unfair to dismiss Amorim’s approach entirely. Structure can sustain seasons. But the data suggests Šeško thrives when the tempo increases and his responsibilities narrow.
Two goals in 17 games versus six in seven. The numbers are persuasive.
Sustainability and Selection: Newcastle Away
Can anyone sustain a goal every 45 minutes across a full season? Almost certainly not. Regression is inevitable. Defenders adjust. Finishing cools.
Yet even moderate regression would leave him well above his Amorim output. If his true level sits between 0.12 and 0.86 goals per game, United still gain enormously from the recalibration.
Which brings us to the immediate dilemma: should he start against Newcastle United tomorrow?
The cautious view is pragmatic. His most explosive contributions have come off the bench. Introducing him against tired defenders has yielded six goals in seven appearances. Why disrupt a formula that works?
The opposing argument is equally compelling. A striker in this kind of rhythm demands trust. Six goals in seven games. A goal every 45 to 50 minutes. Momentum is fragile. Bench him and you risk cooling a white-hot streak.
Perhaps the answer lies not just in selection but in structure. If Carrick maintains the vertical tempo and keeps Šeško central, the conditions for productivity remain intact whether he starts or enters late.
What this season has proven is not that Šeško suddenly became elite, nor that he was previously inadequate. It has shown how dramatically context shapes output.
500 minutes per goal became 45. That is not random variance. That is managerial influence.
So tomorrow, against Newcastle, Carrick faces a revealing choice. Protect the impact weapon, or back the in-form striker from the first whistle. Given the numbers, the instinct says this: when a forward is scoring at 0.86 goals per game, you start him.
