Manchester United confirm cruel Benjamin Sesko blow in team news vs Chelsea

Sesko ruled out for a longer period with shin injury; United face prospect of no recognised striker until at least January.

Benjamin Sesko will miss Manchester United's match against Chelsea this weekend and be sidelined for an extended period following a shin injury. The Slovenia international last played against Brighton in the Carabao Cup on September 16, when he felt pain in the shin. Tests at Carrington have confirmed he requires a longer recovery, with manager Michael Carrick indicating he is unlikely to return until at least January.

Carrick explained at his press conference that United are still working through the best approach to Sesko's recovery. "It's going to be for a longer period of time," Carrick said. "We're still not clear of exactly how long, but we're still working through it." The club opted for rest rather than surgery, the same approach taken when Sesko suffered a similar shin injury last season.

On a brighter note, Kobbie Mainoo has returned to training and will be available for the Chelsea fixture, while Marcus Rashford is progressing in his recovery from a hip injury. Luke Shaw and Patrick Dorgu remain unavailable.