In his first season at Manchester United, Benjamin Sesko was made to wait. This season, he is not wasting time.It was Sesko who put United into cruise control in their first Champions League game since December 2023, rounding Sabah goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov in the 45th minute to slot calmly into an open net. He, and United, will face far tougher opponents than this — but the early signs this season speak of a forward fully stepping into his role leading the line.Thanks to a shin problem, this was Sesko’s first start since United’s win over Liverpool on May 3, but his efficiency is already underlining his importance. In around 120 minutes so far this season, with five shots, he has scored twice. It is a limited sample, but speaks to his importance as United’s spearhead.Sesko’s goal from the bench against Everton saw him play a heavy role in the buildup before he leapt free of defenders to head home and provide the focal point his side had been lacking. Then there was the bullish effort against Sabah, mixing precision in the timing of his run with explosive pace to burst free of defenders onto Bryan Mbeumo’s pass. They are the goals of an out-and-out striker.“(Sesko) definitely offers a different kind of threat,” Michael Carrick said after the Sabah match. “I think that’s kind of the beauty of it really, that we know what Ben gives us. There’s not many around that give you what Ben does in terms of his physicality, playing on the last line, his speed to run in behind. He’s a real threat.”While Sesko is capable of dropping deep to link play — as against Everton and for United’s first goal against Sabah, scored by Matheus Cunha — the biggest benefit he offers is how he stretches opposition back lines. He pushes high onto the last line of defence to pounce on through passes, occupying centre-backs in a way that others do not and creating more space in which team-mates can operate.Benjamin Sesko vaults Stas Pokatilov to score on the brink of half-time (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)It is that central presence they need. Without Sesko, there are goal threats in United’s ranks: Mbeumo and Cunha scored 11 and 10 respectively in the Premier League last season. But at the start of this campaign, they have lacked a focal point.As well as Sesko working back to full fitness, Amad has been unavailable. That has meant Mbeumo playing on the right wing rather than up front, where he was the preferred deputy when Sesko was injured last season. Cunha has been deployed as a false nine, but has not stretched opposition defences in the same way Sesko can. There have been plenty of in-game rotations, promising combinations, fluidity and creativity, but without the delivery of a final hammer blow.That is what Sesko can add, and it will be sorely needed on Sunday when United are back at Old Trafford to host Manchester City. Enzo Maresca has a formidable attack upon which to call and United’s defence has looked leaky, conceding six goals in three league games. It would be out of character for both teams so far this season if United were able to shut City out, making attacking efficiency all the more important.City have made a strong start to the campaign but are adjusting to a new manager’s principles, including tweaks in the defensive shape and how they play out from the back. United will need Sesko as an imposing figure to lead the press, bomb into any spaces there are to exploit, and generally sow doubt in the defensive line.It is a relief, then, that he looks sharp. At the beginning of last campaign, having not taken part in pre-season as his move to United was in the works, Sesko took time to find his feet. His first goal came as a consolation in a 3-1 defeat to Brentford at the end of September, and two months and one goal after that the forward found himself sidelined for a month with a knee injury.It was in the spring that he became crucial: his nine league goals post-Christmas included an equaliser against West Ham, and winners against West Ham United, Crystal Palace, Everton and Fulham.Benjamin Sesko is congratulated by Bruno Fernandes (Darren Staples/AFP via Getty Images)Concerns Sesko would take time to find match fitness after missing pre-season again, this time through injury, were understandable — but so far the signs are promising. Sesko will face far more challenging opposition than Sabah, but on his longest outing since May, he played confidently rather than tentatively. As is evident from his goal, he did not shy away from loose ball duels or challenges.“It’s great to have him back at this level after working to get back fitness,” Carrick told reporters. “So a couple of goals, good performances, good minutes in him… so we’re really pleased with the way he’s gone.”Speaking to broadcaster TNT Sports after the game, Sesko described the Champions League win as “great for us in general, to give us more motivation for the upcoming games.”“I think the confidence boost here is definitely big,” the forward added. “Now it’s just important to recover very good and focus on the derby.”Last summer, Sesko was the last element of the attacking rebuild. For Sunday, Carrick will hope he is the final piece in the puzzle that makes his attack fully click.