Ruben Amorim is hopeful Benjamin Sesko will be back before Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui lead for the Africa Cup of Nations after the striker avoided serious injury.
Sesko hobbled off in the 2-2 draw at Tottenham Hotspur with Amorim fearing that night that his £73.7million summer signing had suffered a serious problem to his knee.
That did not prove to be the case and after pulling out of international duty with Slovenia to begin his rehab at Carrington, Amorim is now much more optimistic.
‘He is going to stay a few weeks out, I don’t know how long but it is not that serious,’ Amorim said.
‘We have to be careful with him. He is going to recover, he is doing the recovery and he is feeling better. In a few weeks I expect to have Ben.’
Sesko was one of three noteworthy absentees from training on Friday morning, as Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo also missed the session.
Ruben Amorim has provided a fresh fitness update on £73.7million striker Benjamin Sesko
Maguire will definitely not play any part against Everton on Monday night but Mainoo is expected to come back into the mix after missing the trip to Tottenham.
‘Kobbie didn’t train today but I think tomorrow we could see Kobbie, we will see,’ Amorim said.
Sesko’s absence leaves Amorim without a genuine No 9 option for forthcoming matches, meaning he will have to shuffle his pack with Matheus Cunha expected to lead the line.
But away from Monday’s game, there is a sense of trepidation that United’s attack, which has looked much improved this season compared to last, will be decimated in the next few weeks when Mbeumo and Amad leave for AFCON.
Mbeumo’s Cameroon play their first match on December 24, Amad and Ivory Coast face Mozambique on the same day, while Morocco and Mazraoui face Comoros three days prior on December 21.
As per FIFA rules, nations can call on players to be released by their clubs two weeks prior to their first tournament match and Amorim is acutely aware that amid a flurry of festive fixtures, bringing Sesko back into a soon-to-be depleted attack will be essential.
‘We have the rules when we have to release the players,’ he explained.
‘We are doing our job to try and maintain the players we have for a bit longer but it’s not just in our hands, we have to respect that. But we will try to do everything to protect the club, protect the player and protect the national teams.’
Amorim also revealed how United will try to keep Bryan Mbeumo and Amad Diallo in Manchester for as long as possible before they are mandated to go to Africa Cup of Nations
What it is expected to do is open the door for academy players such as Jack Fletcher and Shea Lacey, both of whom trained with the first team again on Friday, and Amorim is not fearful of turning to the kids.
‘We already knew [players would go to AFCON] and it is an opportunity for other players.
‘We also have the Under-21s and we need to also send a message. We’ll see. Of course it is not ideal because they are so important in our team and we don’t have a long squad but again, our academy is for this moment and we’ll be ready.’
