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Autumn has not even begun, yet Benjamin Sesko's maiden season at Manchester United is already threatening to be a disappointment. The 22-year-old Slovenian was handed his full debut start in the League Cup second round encounter with Grimsby Town.

It turned into a disastrous first appearance as Ruben Amorim's squad could only manage a 2-2 draw with the League Two side before succumbing 12-11 in a penalty shootout. The embarrassing elimination at Blundell Park was hardly what the forward had in mind, when he turned down Newcastle United to sign for the Red Devils from RB Leipzig in a transfer potentially worth £74million. Beyond his inability to breach Town goalkeeper Christy Pym, more concerningly, Sesko was positioned as the 10th penalty taker for United, with only Andre Onana following him in the queue.

Whilst he successfully converted his spot-kick, his positioning in the sequence was telling, suggesting either he or Amorim lacked conviction in his ability to find the net from 12 yards. The promising striker had expressed his eagerness to challenge for football's most prestigious honours upon his arrival.

In his first interview at the club, he said: "The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future. When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon."

That dream now appears to be shattered, with United left battling on just two fronts: the Premier League, which seems beyond their reach at present, and the FA Cup.

The striker also claimed there was an uplifting atmosphere within the Reds' dressing room - if that existed, last night's outcome and their dismal beginning to the campaign would have certainly dampened it, especially considering Amorim's post-match comments.

Sesko said: "From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions. I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben [Amorim] and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together."

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Judging by the clear tension etched across Amorim and his squad's faces, the "positive energy" Sesko referenced has clearly disappeared. The outlook seemed brighter following United's creditable display in their 1-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.

Fresh arrivals Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha have shown promise this campaign, though both players, who arrived for as total cost which was close to £125m, failed to convert in the penalty shootout.

Sesko's ambitions of developing under Amorim may have suffered a setback, as the Portuguese manager's post-match remarks indicated the club's repeatedly disappointing displays have pushed him to breaking point.

In a cryptic statement, he said: "I know that the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. I think the team and the players spoke really loud today. So that's it.

"We lost, the best team won. I think it was really clear for everybody what happened today. It's not just the space (we gave them), but the way we started the game without any intensity - we were completely lost.

"It's hard to explain. That's why I think they spoke really well. I think they gave the response on the pitch today. When you see something that, like today, it's hard to talk."