Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko struck deep into stoppage time in a dramatic 3-2 Premier League victory over Fulham on Sunday as the home side continued their resurgence under interim boss Michael Carrick.
The win propelled United to fourth place in the standings on 41 points and added another statement result to Carrick’s reign, coming after wins over Manchester City and leaders Arsenal. Fulham fell to eighth.
United led 2-0 after goals from Brazilians Casemiro in the 19th minute and Matheus Cunha in the 56th. But Fulham battled back with Raul Jimenez scoring from the penalty spot in the 85th and then Kevin celebrated the equaliser in the 91st minute.
But second-half substitute Sesko had the Old Trafford crowd roaring in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Bruno Fernandes touched the ball past Fulham’s Calvin Bassey and then picked out the Slovenian striker in the box. Sesko, who had hit the post minutes earlier, turned and smashed it into the top corner.
The victory continued United’s stunning turnaround since Ruben Amorim was sacked on January 5 after just over a year at the helm.
“This was a big game,” Carrick, a former United midfielder and captain, told Sky Sports. “(Fulham) are a good team, close behind us in the league.
“Every game is a big game and we have to treat it like that and we will do. Today was a tough one, if not tougher because everyone expected that it would be different, but we didn’t and we got it in the end.
“I’m so delighted for Ben,” he added. “To win the game in front of the Stretford End, there’s not much better than that.”
Casemiro, who has announced he will leave United when his contract expires at season’s end, leapt to head home Fernandes’s free kick in the 19th minute, awarded after a tackle on Cunha just outside the 18-yard box.
Cunha doubled United’s lead with a strike from a tricky angle after Casemiro had slipped a ball to him through Fulham’s defence with a no-look pass.
Samuel Chukwueze briefly celebrated what he thought was Fulham’s first goal midway through the second half but it was chalked off for offside. Jimenez eventually pulled one back from the spot after he was fouled in the box by Harry Maguire, making for a nervy final few minutes.
Kevin launched a blistering shot from the edge of the box that United goalkeeper Senne Lammens had little chance of stopping for his first goal in the Premier League for Fulham.
The equaliser set the stage for Sesko’s finale to cap a thoroughly entertaining match.
“It was unbelievable. Scoring at home, the winner. I’ve been dreaming about, that I could do that,” Sesko said.
“(Carrick) has said this many, many times,” he added, on the manager’s message to have fun. “It’s not just that. You can see without the ball how hard we work and it’s working out in the end. Everyone is on point, covering the space, everything. In the end that’s what counts.”
Fulham midfielder Emile Smith Rowe called the loss “really frustrating”.
“I thought the boys fought really hard today to get back into the game,” he said. “It’s a bit annoying to concede straight after equalising.”
