For the third instance in a quartet of games, Benjamin Sesko, the forward for Manchester United, proved pivotal for Michael Carrick, emerging as a substitute to net the solitary goal in their 1-0 triumph over Everton.
Although the Slovenian attacker has not been included in the starting lineup across the provisional head coach’s six fixtures, he has now delivered a pair of decisive goals and secured a last-minute leveling strike, sustaining Carrick’s undefeated run.
His introduction, substituting Amad Diallo, was delayed until nearing the 60-minute mark; however, he influenced the game inside 13 minutes by concluding a rapid counter-offensive, a seldom-seen sharp offensive move from the away team.
This performance sufficed to secure their fifth victory in half a dozen encounters, propelling United into the fourth position, trailing Aston Villa by merely three points.
He capitalized on the opportunity with composure and precision during United’s initial threatening play since the fourth minute, a moment when James Tarkowski cleared Diallo’s attempt off the goal line after it had slipped past goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
Considering his past performances, his strike in the 71st minute occurred relatively early, given that his preceding two contributions during Carrick’s undefeated streak had both materialized past the 90th minute, one to defeat Fulham and the other to salvage a tie against West Ham.
With six goals tallied in his last seven outings, he has presented a compelling case, making it challenging for Carrick to overlook his pivotal role in the squad’s revitalization, a factor that has further solidified the head coach’s standing since taking over from Ruben Amorim in January.
The scoring play was largely attributed to Matheus Cunha’s incisive delivery from deep within his own territory, which put Bryan Mbeumo in a solitary confrontation with Michael Keane; the attacker utilized his speed to bypass the central defender and set up Sesko for a forceful finish.
Interestingly, the goal occurred amidst Everton’s most fluent period of play; they had contested the initial half without posing a significant threat, only to emerge from the interval and promptly generate their most promising opportunity.
Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall orchestrated a movement of the ball from the right flank to the left, yet Harrison Armstrong, whose solitary season goal was scored against Wrexham during his loan spell at Preston, watched his feeble shot fall short of testing Senne Lammens.
Mbeumo’s attempt sailed well above the crossbar after Tarkowski’s ineffective handling of Kobbie Mainoo’s delivery, but this represented an infrequent foray forward for the away side; an indicator that matters were not favoring United was the instance of captain Bruno Fernandes engaging in a dispute with the teenage Armstrong.
However, the introduction of Sesko transformed the match, and Everton’s closest attempt to level the score – a team that has only managed one home victory since early November – materialized when Keane compelled Lammens into a long-range fingertip save, preserving United’s inaugural away clean sheet in the league since March.
This outcome compensated for an uninspired opening half, during which United exerted dominance but failed to convert their opportunities.
Following Cunha’s strike, which eluded Pickford but not the vigilant Tarkowski, the traveling team found themselves unable to make progress against a defensive line featuring midfielder James Garner positioned at right-back and central defender Jarrad Branthwaite on the left flank.
A strike by Diogo Dalot originating from a partially cleared corner whizzed narrowly beyond Pickford’s left upright, and Fernandes’ shot flew high over the goal as the half concluded; nevertheless, scant evidence suggested they would find a breakthrough until Sesko appeared once more to be the decisive factor.
This loss dealt a significant setback to Everton’s aspirations for a spot in the upcoming year’s European tournaments, leaving them positioned in ninth place, trailing Brentford and Bournemouth, and falling eight points shy of Chelsea and Liverpool.
The squad managed by David Moyes has now endured a streak of seven matches without achieving a victory at their recently established Hill Dickinson Stadium.
