Sesko's Dramatic Late Strike Secures Victory for Manchester United
In a pulsating encounter at Old Trafford, substitute Benjamin Sesko emerged as the hero for Manchester United, scoring a dramatic injury-time winner to secure a 3-2 victory over Fulham. The result maintains United's perfect 100 per cent record under interim manager Michael Carrick, who has now overseen three consecutive Premier League wins since taking charge.
VAR Intervention and Early United Dominance
The match began with controversy as referee John Brooks initially awarded United a penalty for a challenge on Matheus Cunha by Jorge Cuenca. After a VAR review, the decision was overturned to a free-kick outside the box due to a shirt pull, much to the frustration of Fulham manager Marco Silva, who received a booking for his protests. From the resulting set-piece, Bruno Fernandes delivered a perfect cross for Casemiro to power home a header, giving United a 1-0 lead.
United doubled their advantage through a moment of Brazilian brilliance. Casemiro produced an audacious no-look pass to find Cunha, who smashed a fierce finish into the roof of the net from a tight angle. The goal highlighted United's fluid attacking play under Carrick, with players rotating positions effectively to create overloads in central areas.
Fulham's Fightback and Late Drama
Fulham thought they had found a route back into the game when Cuenca bundled the ball home, but after a lengthy VAR check lasting over four minutes, the goal was ruled out for a fractional offside against Samuel Chukwueze. The visitors did eventually reduce the deficit in the 85th minute when Raul Jimenez kept his composure from the penalty spot after being fouled by Harry Maguire.
The comeback appeared complete when substitute Kevin curled in a stunning equaliser, setting up a grandstand finish. However, United showed remarkable resilience, with Sesko - who had earlier seen a header come back off the post - latching onto Fernandes' cross in the 94th minute to fire home the winner and send Old Trafford into raptures.
Carrick's Growing Influence and Tactical Shifts
This victory further strengthens Michael Carrick's case for the permanent managerial role. Since replacing Ruben Amorim, Carrick has abandoned the unpopular 3-4-2-1 formation, instead deploying players in their natural positions and implementing a more fluid attacking system. The transformation has been stark, with United looking more cohesive in both attack and defence despite the late wobble against Fulham.
The performance demonstrated United's renewed confidence under their former midfielder, with players like Cunha seizing their opportunity after being brought into the starting lineup. As the wins continue to accumulate, pressure will inevitably grow on United's hierarchy to seriously consider Carrick for the permanent position beyond his interim tenure.
