Michael Carrick has praised super-sub Benjamin Sesko’s superb strike, after his late goal secured a 1-1 draw for Manchester United against West Ham United on Tuesday.
The Red Devils were heading towards a first defeat under their caretaker manager, but snatched a draw at the dying stages of the encounter courtesy of a brilliant effort by the Slovenian forward.
Their unbeaten run extended to nine matches in the league and they remain the only side without a Premier League defeat in 2026.
“It’s always the balance. The boys who have played have done fantastically well,” said Carrick after the matfh.
“Ben’s doing a lot of work, he’s in a good place and ready to kick on. Certainly when he came on the pitch he made a big difference. It’s an unbelievable finish from the angle to generate that, to get it on target, to finish it — it’s some goal.
He’s capable of that, Ben. He’s done it all the time. It’s not that he’s just suddenly burst on the scene. He’s been doing it, he’s proven that he can score goals as well. He’s been doing it in training for us as well”, the former Middlesbrough manager added.
“It’s not surprising, to be honest. I think it’s what he does, it’s what he’s good at. The last one would have done him the world of good.
“Tonight, a little bit different with the emotion of the game, but certainly important and a big moment for him and us.”
West Ham took the lead early in the second half through Tomas Soucek and were heading towards a shock win until Sesko score a stunner in stoppage-time to level matters.
Manchester United remain in fourth place and just two points behind Aston Villa who face Brighton on Wednesday.
“Mixed feelings. We know we weren’t at our best and we can credit West Ham with that”, Carrick added.
“Finishing with a late goal when we’ve had to find one is a positive for us. In the grand scheme of things we can take a point, and dust ourselves down a bit. Four wins and a draw from these five games is a positive.”
Manchester will now have a long rest before returning to action on the 23rd against Everton.
Olakitan is a young writer with a strong passion for sports, having gained experience with IndyPress and Nimelssa Press. His enthusiasm for sports inspired him to cover events both within his school and beyond. With a deep understanding of the game and a refined skillset, he brings sports coverage to a broad, global audience in a way that’s engaging and accessible.
