Manchester United’s struggles to find the back of the net in the 1-0 defeat to Manchester City laid bare their striker conundrum. The Red Devils were linked with several No. 9s over the summer, but ended the transfer window without bolstering the attack.
Benjamin Sesko started the Manchester derby from the bench, with Michael Carrick opting to continue with his recent strategy of using Matheus Cunha to lead the attack. The move ultimately backfired, forcing the English manager to turn to the Slovenian in the second half, but it was too late.
Sesko was signed last summer to become the focal point of the Red Devils’ attack, but there is a belief that the presence of an experienced striker in the squad could have aided in his development. One such Premier League-proven player linked with Old Trafford this summer was Ollie Watkins, who ultimately left Aston Villa to join Al-Hilal.
Former United striker Michael Owen, however, believes the Red Devils could also have moved for another English striker.
United missed a trick with Calvert-Lewin
Speaking to Premier League Productions, as cited by Metro, Owen explained why United should have taken a chance on Calvert-Lewin. He said: “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.”
Calvert-Lewin is past his injury woes
Calvert-Lewin rose through the ranks at Sheffield United before arriving at Everton in 2016. The Englishman spent nine seasons on Merseyside, where he struggled with injuries, before leaving as a free agent in the summer of 2025.
Leeds United handed him a lifeline, and the 29 year old repaid that trust by scoring 15 goals in his debut campaign at Elland Road.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin Stats: 2025/26 Season
| Competition | Appearances | Starts | Goals | Assists | Yellow cards | Second yellow cards | Red cards | Minutes played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 35 | 30 | 14 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 2,730' |
| FA Cup | 3 | 1 | 1 | - | - | - | - | 193' |
| EFL Cup | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | 32' |
| Total | 39 | 31 | 15 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 2,955' |
Source: Transfermarkt.
Calvert-Lewin has been in good form this campaign as well, finding the back of the net three times in six games. The player has also missed just three games since arriving at Leeds, suggesting that his injury troubles are a thing of the past.
For the record, the Englishman missed 16 games for club and country during his final season with Everton.
Final Thoughts
Calvert-Lewin has 73 goals and 17 assists in 278 appearances in the Premier League in his career so he could have been a valuable addition to the squad. However, with the Englishman set to turn 30 in March, he only represented a short-term fix for United.
Featured image by Stu Forster via Getty Images
