Joshua Zirkzee in line for Sunderland chance as Carrick weighs Sesko

Joshua zirkzee is in position for a rare start against Sunderland after starting only four games this season. Manchester United may turn to him because Benjamin Sesko left the Liverpool match with an aggravated shin injury, and Carrick now has just one other senior striker to lean on.

Zirkzee and Sesko at Manchester United

Zirkzee has made 17 appearances from the bench this season and is averaging 24 minutes per appearance. Under Michael Carrick, he has not started a game, even though he had a bright cameo against Liverpool and scored a vital goal in a 2-1 victory away at Crystal Palace at the end of November.

That away goal still stands out in this run of limited minutes. It was the last time he started an away game for Manchester United, and it came in the kind of match that has kept him in the frame as a low-risk option when the attack needs a change.

Liverpool injury leaves a gap

Sesko’s status changed at Liverpool when he was shoved into the advertising hoardings by Ibrahim Konate. Carrick said after the match: “He was already dealing with an ongoing shin injury that was aggravated by the incident.”

United could rush Sesko back to face Sunderland this coming weekend, but the move carries a clear trade-off. Carrick moved Bryan Mbeumo up front against Liverpool and brought Amad off the bench to play on the right wing, yet Mbeumo’s last goal came in early February and Amad has not scored yet in 2026.

United’s thin striker options

With no European football this season, United have had fewer chances to rotate and carry the workload across the front line. That leaves Zirkzee as the only other senior striker on the books, which is why his minutes now carry more weight than they did earlier in the season.

The Sunderland call could end up being less about flair than about managing bodies. If Sesko is not risked, Zirkzee becomes the most straightforward option for a squad that has already used Mbeumo and Amad in forward roles and may need a cleaner answer in the central spot.