Man Utd should have ‘taken a chance’ on Leeds star after Newcastle victory – Owen | OneFootball

Michael Owen reckons Man Utd should have “taken a chance” on Leeds striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin when he was available on a free transfer.

The Red Devils have mainly played Matheus Cunha as the centre-forward this season with Benjamin Sesko spending most matches on the bench.

Sesko has scored two goals in five appearances in all competitions, while Cunha has just one from many more minutes in his five matches this term.

Man Utd supporters were keen to see the Red Devils invest in a new centre-forward to help 23-year-old Sesko develop but Joshua Zirkzee stayed and that ended the chances of that happening.

Owen thinks that Man Utd could now be regretting not taking a chance on Calvert-Lewin a year ago when the Sheffield United academy product was going on a free transfer.

After many rumours of where he could end up, Calvert-Lewin eventually signed for Leeds from Everton on a three-year deal.

The England international scored 14 times in 35 appearances in the Premier League for Leeds last season and he scored his second goal of the current campaign on Monday night as the Yorkshire outfit thrashed Newcastle 4-1 at Elland Road.

Owen told Premier League Productions: “He has always struggled with injuries, but when he is fit, he is a hard man to handle.

“And with the lack of centre-forwards that has been around in recent years, I thought, with all due respect to Leeds, one of the bigger teams might have just taken a chance and had him as the backup.

“Maybe even a Manchester United.

“One or two sniffed around him, but Leeds put the money where their mouth was and got him, and he has repaid them.

“They must be doing something to keep him on the straight and narrow and keep him fit, and he is playing virtually every game, and he has never done it. It’s been a turbulent few years for him but he’s in a different world now, playing all the time and looking dangerous.”

Teddy Sheringham outlined earlier this year what he wants to see from a No.9 at Man Utd and insists Sesko “will be a good player”.

Sheringham told The Metro: “Playing one up front is tough. It takes a certain type of player to play that number 9 role on their own.

“You have to lead the line, hold the ball up, run in behind, run the channels and score goals, it is a lot.

“You are getting through all this hard work and you are expected to score goals all on your own out of nothing. The game has changed. I wouldn’t want to be playing that number 9 role my own.

“I think [Sesko] he will be a good player, just not a great player at the moment. Some of his touches and some of his finishes have been really nice, really clever goals. But you need the experience and confidence and without that, it is hard to lead the line.”