Benjamin Sesko got here to the rescue again for Manchester United as they secured a hard-fought win away to Everton.
The Slovenia international began among the many substitutes again on Monday night but for the third time in his last 4 games, scored the winning goal off the bench that sealed all three points for Michael Carrick’s side.
The victory moves United into fourth place, three points clear of Chelsea and now just three behind third place Aston Villa.
Sesko got here off the bench late on against Fulham and West Ham United to attain last-gasp winners with Carrick turning to his striker barely earlier this time around, entering the fray after 58 minutes.
It paid off soon after with United scoring the sport’s only goal with a classic counter attack goal.
Just outside his own area, Matheus Cunha freed Bryan Mbeumo with a sublime ball from deep. All three summer signings combined with Mbeumo sliding across goal for Sesko to drill past Jordan Pickford.
Everton peppered the United goal with corners – 10 to United’s one – but Senne Lammens stood strong against the aerial bombardment.
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Sesko had a probability to double his tally late on in a near-identical counter move but this time Jordan Pickford was capable of race out of goal and deny him.
A fifth win in six games for Carrick sees United tighten their grip on a Champions League spot ahead of the visit of Crystal Palace on the weekend.
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One other big win for Michael Carrick – they finish the night up in fourth place.
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FULL-TIME! Everton 0-1 Man Utd
An enormous win for United with Sesko at the center of it again!
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
94 mins | Cunha wins a duel with Garner and roars on the Everton player in celebration. Tarkowski wants a word with the Brazilian and Carrick perhaps properly hauls him off with Ayden Heaven onto replace him.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
93 mins | Everton race forward on the counter and George lashes a vicious effort on goal from range. Lammens, like he has been doing all night, does well to carry onto it.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
93 mins | Sesko is nearly in on the counter again! This time Pickford is out to disclaim him.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
91 mins | Keane threatens to interrupt on the counter but Mazraoui sticks himself across and takes the booking.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
90 mins | Five minutes added on here.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
88 mins | Lammens again does well to to bat away a corner – I consider that’s Everton’s 374th of the evening.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
83 mins | One other couple of Everton corners – that is getting a bit silly now. Yoro ended up at the back of the web on the last one and Maguire goes down in the newest scrum.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
81 mins | Terrific save from Lammens! Keane unleashes a rocket however the Belgian scrambles across to bat it clear.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
79 mins | Everton have two corners in a row with everyone piling on Lammens. United again survive.
Beto is on for the hosts.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
77 mins | Mbeumo is leaving the pitch relatively gingerly here. Carrick has decided to take no probabilities, bringing on Noussair Mazraoui to interchange him.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
76 mins | Pickford races 60 yards up the pitch to provide the referee a chunk of his mind. He’s booked for his trouble.
Everton 0-1 Man Utd
72 mins | It’s a sublime counter from United! Cunha whips a sensational ball out from just outside his own box, freeing Mbeumo down the proper. He drives forward before sliding it across goal for Sesko who drills it home from 10 yards out.
GOAL! Everton 0-1 Man Utd | Benjamin Sesko, 71 mins
Everton 0-0 Man Utd
69 mins | Lammens pulls one other out of the air – Everton players have piled on top of him during set pieces however the Belgian has done well tonight.
Everton 0-0 Man Utd
65 mins | Sesko brilliantly flicks it into the trail of Cunha to launch the counter and the United pair race forward. Cunha holds onto it too long and slips over with Sesko free to his right. That just about sums up United’s attacking efforts tonight.
Everton 0-0 Man Utd
63 mins | Dewsbury-Hall ignored Branthwaite’s overlapping run and shoots for himself – a deflection takes it out for a corner.
Everton 0-0 Man Utd
57 mins | And here comes Sesko – he replaces Amad with just over half an hour left to play.
Everton 0-0 Man Utd
55 mins | Mbeumo goes down in a heap after a coming along with Tarkowski. VAR has a fast look but nothing given.
There’s already a little bit of movement within the United bench – Sesko looks imminent.
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