Luckhurst: INEOS must be commended for signing mentality monster over ‘defeatist’ PL star who’s bereft of confidence

Samuel Luckhurst thinks INEOS chiefs should be commended for their acquisition of Benjamin Sesko last summer.

It comes after the Manchester United frontman netted his ninth Premier League goal on Sunday to seal a crucial win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford.

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Just before the Slovenian put pen to paper on a five-year deal last August, reports were suggesting that then-manager Ruben Amorim was urging the board to pursue Ollie Watkins instead .

The Aston Villa talisman posed as a more experienced and proven centre-forward option, one whom Amorim wouldn’t have had to worry about transitioning into the league.

However, having worked with the 22-year-old at both RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg, former Red Bull chief Christopher Vivell, now the recruitment director in M16, spearheaded the club’s move for Sesko instead, eventually agreeing a £73 million deal.

It took some time for the youngster to find his feet in the English top flight, but he is now enjoying his most prolific run of form in a red shirt since making the switch from the Bundesliga.

Sesko has notched seven goals in his last nine league appearances. Five of those have come under Michael Carrick, and four have come as a substitute – including yesterday’s 81st-minute contribution.

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By the time Sesko had found the back of the net, Watkins was watching on from the Villa bench after being withdrawn around the hour mark.

He left having had just two touches in United’s box and completing only one of his four attempted dribbles, earning him a measly rating of six on Fotmob .

Watkins, 30, has scored once in his last nine starts for Villa, so it’s no surprise he looks bereft of confidence when leading the line in recent weeks.

(How both Sesko and Watkins have fared since the start of 2026 in the league)

Reacting to the strikers’ contrasting displays on X/Twitter, Luckhurst said: “Credit to #mufc and Jason Wilcox for investing in Sesko and not Watkins. Difficult to think of a more defeatist-looking striker at Old Trafford than Watkins this season. Sesko’s body language [is] the polar opposite. Superb mentality to get another goal off the bench.”

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