Benjamin Šeško has apologised to Slovenian supporters after withdrawing from their forthcoming fixtures, saying the priority was to remain at Manchester United and concentrate on recovery.

The striker, who also missed United’s flat draw with Fulham on Sunday, is now back in the treatment room with the same problem. United have confirmed that their forward will “undergo tests” this week, while The Athletic have reported that a “period of rest” may still be needed after the international break ends.

In a post on Instagram, Šeško said: “I am very sorry that I will have to miss the national team’s upcoming matches,” Šeško wrote on Instagram. “I have always played for Slovenia—and always will—with heart and pride. Right now, the most important thing is to focus fully on my recovery. I am already working on getting back on the pitch as soon as possible to help both the national team and my club once again.”

The issue has been building for some time. Šeško said the shin problem began last spring and was made worse by his own decision to keep pushing through it. “I got a kick last season, but it was also a little bit of an overload from myself,” he admitted recently.

That drive has long defined him. He was known for arriving 90 minutes before team-mates and staying behind long after training had finished, a habit that nearly tested Ruben Amorim’s patience. “I’m relaxed,” the Portuguese boss said during Šeško’s debut season. “[But] he’s not relaxed.”

Šeško also acknowledged that the summer recovery required patience. “We just need a little bit longer, longer than usual, because if you start too early, it might appear again,” he explained. “And I think waiting a little bit longer was a great decision.”

Even so, this setback may indicate that the pause was not long enough. With tests still to come, his return date remains unclear, although the three-week international break should limit the damage. There is still a real chance he will not be ready for United’s match against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, Oct. 10.

The Premier League have acknowledged a “significant” VAR error in the build-up to Erling Haaland’s winner in the Manchester derby, but the admission brings no practical comfort to Michael Carrick or his side.

The goal stood after officials decided not to focus on Fernández’s involvement, a call that left Carrick and Lisandro Martínez frustrated. Their argument was straightforward: Haaland was left free in the box only because he had been drawn away to deal with Fernández.

Before a meeting with representatives from all 20 clubs, the league issued a letter that, according to The Times, accepted a serious mistake had been made. It described early-season officiating as being overshadowed by a major VAR failure in the match between Manchester United and Manchester City on Sunday, Sept. 13.

“Despite a positive start, early season officiating performance has been overshadowed by a significant VAR error in the Manchester United vs. Manchester City match on Sunday, Sept. 13,” the letter reads.

“The VAR did not recognize an offside offense by Enzo Fernández and incorrectly overturned the original decision of offside to allow the goal to stand. Pro Ref are undertaking a full review of the incident, which will be reviewed by the Premier League, with learnings being adopted immediately.”

For United, the acknowledgement may at least offer honesty, but it does nothing to alter the outcome of a match that will remain defined by the controversy around the winning goal.

The more meaningful consequences are expected to emerge behind the scenes, particularly in how VAR operates during matches.

Comparable incidents are rare because they tend not to involve clear rule misreadings. One of the closest examples came in September 2023, when Liverpool had a goal wrongly disallowed in a 2–1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur.

Luis Díaz was incorrectly flagged for offside after scoring, even though a VAR review showed he was onside. A communication breakdown meant the VAR official believed the goal had initially been allowed, and the mistake led to the goal being ruled out.

That case prompted major process changes, with VAR officials instructed to confirm the final verdict of their reviews alongside updated communication guidelines.

Manchester United have not got the opening to 2026-27 they would have wanted after last season’s strong finish, when Michael Carrick’s side collected 39 points from a possible 51 across their final 17 league matches. Instead, five points from five games have left them matching their lowest Premier League-era return at this stage of a campaign.

The early results have been uneven. Hull City struck twice from set pieces on opening day, Ipswich Town were beaten in a high-scoring game, Everton later rescued a point late on, Manchester City won through a refereeing and VAR error that has since been acknowledged, and Fulham exposed United during a slow opening 70 minutes. Even so, the underlying figures suggest the team are still reaching useful areas: no side has more touches in the opposition box than United’s 182, while they have allowed the fewest touches in their own box at 92.

That is why Carrick does not appear alarmed. The numbers point to adjustment rather than upheaval, although the results have yet to settle into consistency.

This is not the first time United have been here. Their previous five-point start came in 2014-15, when Louis van Gaal arrived after David Moyes’ brief spell ended and expectations rose around a new era. The club had reinforced heavily with Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw, Ángel Di María, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Radamel Falcao, but the early weeks were slow. A home loss to Swansea City, away draws with Sunderland and Burnley, and a shock Carabao Cup exit to MK Dons set the tone.

United did recover. Di María inspired a first league win against Queens Park Rangers, before an extraordinary collapse against Leicester City ended in a 5-3 defeat after the team had led 3-1. Van Gaal’s side later pieced together two separate runs of six straight league wins and finished fourth, though they never properly threatened the title.

The broader record shows that a low total after five games is not always decisive. United have often recovered, even from modest starts, and only one perfect five-from-five return has been achieved across 35 Premier League seasons. The opening month matters, but it rarely tells the full story.