Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler has singled out Manchester United's Benjamin Sesko for praise, tipping the young striker to develop into a major force at Old Trafford.
Hurzeler's High Praise for United's Slovenian Striker
The comments came during Hurzeler's pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of Sunday's FA Cup third-round tie between the two sides at Old Trafford. The Seagulls' boss, who previously coached in Germany, revealed he has long been an admirer of the 22-year-old Slovenian international.
"I followed him when I was coaching in Germany," Hurzeler stated. "I think he can be a big player for United. He has everything that a good striker needs. He's physically very strong, fast, scores with his head. He is technical, finds good solutions in tight spaces. I like him as a player."
Hurzeler acknowledged Sesko's difficult start to life in Manchester, following his £74million transfer from RB Leipzig last summer, but was impressed by his recent performance. "He didn't have an easy start but against Burnley he was impressive," he said, referencing Sesko's brace in United's 2-2 midweek draw. "So we definitely have to take care of him."
United in Turmoil After Amorim's Sudden Exit
The build-up to the cup match is overshadowed by turmoil at Manchester United, following the sacking of head coach Ruben Amorim last Monday after a reported fallout with club chiefs. Under-21s coach Darren Fletcher, who oversaw the Burnley game, will remain in temporary charge.
The club is now in talks to appoint an interim manager until the season's end, with former bosses Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Michael Carrick under consideration. Interestingly, it is reported that Amorim was not in favour of signing Sesko last summer and instead wanted the club to pursue Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins, adding an intriguing subplot to the striker's future.
Hurzeler admitted that the sudden managerial change has complicated his team's preparations. "It's difficult to say because on the one side the players didn't change, we will face the same that we faced under Ruben," the German coach explained. "They changed the system. I don't know how they will face us. We saw only one game against Burnley."
A Tactical Preview of the FA Cup Clash
Analysing Fletcher's sole game in charge, Hurzeler noted a shift to a back-four and the use of a clear number ten and striker. He highlighted United's threat from wide areas, specifically mentioning full-back Diogo Dalot's crossing ability from the right.
Despite Brighton's own patchy form – with just one win in their last five games – and United's absentees due to the Africa Cup of Nations, Hurzeler remains wary of the threat posed by the Red Devils. "The main thing is United are still a big club with big players," he cautioned. "They showed it again against Burnley that they can score in every second of the game."
He concluded by warning that his team must prepare for all of United's attacking talents, not just Sesko. "They have a lot of players who can make the difference, so we need to prepare for all of them."
