Manchester United secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Fulham at Old Trafford today, with Benjamin Sesko scoring a dramatic winner in the 89th minute. The five-goal encounter saw both teams fight for control, but United ultimately claimed all three points after a late comeback from Fulham. This result extended interim manager Michael Carrick's perfect start, marking his third consecutive win since taking charge.[beinsports+1]
United Takes Early Lead, Fulham Fights Back
The match began with Manchester United pressing hard, and their efforts paid off in the 19th minute. After a VAR review overturned an initial penalty decision for United, a free-kick was awarded just outside the box. Bruno Fernandes delivered the ball, and Casemiro rose highest to head it past Fulham goalkeeper Bernd Leno, giving United a 1-0 lead.Fulham, however, did not give up and continued to pose a threat, particularly through counter-attacks.[beinsports+3]
The second half started with United extending their lead. In the 56th minute, Matheus Cunha, making his first start since an FA Cup tie, scored his sixth goal of the season.Casemiro provided a clever no-look pass to Cunha inside the Fulham area, and the Brazilian forward smashed a powerful finish past Leno, putting United up 2-0.Fulham thought they had pulled a goal back in the 65th minute when Jorge Cuenca found the net, but VAR disallowed it for a narrow offside call against Samuel Chukwueze.[beinsports+6]
Late Drama Unfolds at Old Trafford
The game truly came alive in the final minutes with a flurry of goals. Fulham was awarded a penalty in the 85th minute after Raul Jimenez was fouled by Harry Maguire. Jimenez calmly converted the spot-kick, narrowing United's lead to 2-1 and setting up a tense finish.Just moments later, in the first minute of stoppage time, substitute Kevin scored a stunning equalizer for Fulham. He cut in from the right wing and curled a sublime strike into the far corner from the edge of the area, silencing the Old Trafford crowd and making it 2-2.[beinsports+5]
However, United showed immense spirit and responded immediately. Just two minutes after Fulham's equalizer, Benjamin Sesko, who had come on as a substitute in the 74th minute, found the net.Bruno Fernandes delivered a pass, and Sesko drilled the ball high into the net from 12 yards out, sparking wild celebrations among the United players and fans.This stoppage-time goal secured a dramatic 3-2 victory for Manchester United.Sesko's goal was his fourth in his last four games.[theguardian+6]
Carrick's Impact and League Standing
Interim manager Michael Carrick praised the team's resilience. "The excitement that's part of this club and it's not always the easiest way," Carrick told reporters after the match. "We'd like to win games a little bit more comfortably than that. But certainly when they come along, it's pretty special."He also highlighted the significance of the win in front of the home crowd. "There's no better place, in front of the Stretford End and it ends up meaning a bit more," he added.[theguardian+1]
Fulham manager Marco Silva expressed frustration with some of the officiating decisions. "The story of the game started with a horrendous terrible decision from John Brooks with the penalty he gave ," Silva told Sky Sports.He also noted VAR's role in the disallowed goal.[independent+2]
This victory moves Manchester United into fourth place in the Premier League table.They are now unbeaten in their last seven league matches, and their bid to qualify for next season's Champions League continues to gain momentum.This impressive run under Carrick, who took over recently, suggests a potential turnaround for the club.Fulham, despite a strong performance, dropped to eighth place following the defeat.[beinsports+7]
