Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko came to Michael Carrick’s rescue for the third time in four matches after arriving from the bench to score the only goal in the 1-0 victory at Everton.
The Slovenia striker has yet to start in the interim head coach’s six matches in charge but has now scored two winners and snatched a late equaliser to maintain Carrick’s unbeaten start.
He was made to wait until just before the hour mark to replace Amad Diallo but made an impact within 13 minutes by getting on the end of a direct counter-attack in a rare moment of incisiveness from the visitors.
It was enough to secure a fifth win in six matches and move United into fourth, only three points behind Aston Villa.
He took his chance coolly and clinically in United’s first threatening moment since the fourth minute, when James Tarkowski cleared Diallo’s shot off the line after it had squirmed under goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.
By his standards his 71st-minute goal was comparatively early as his two previous efforts in Carrick’s unbeaten run had come after the 90th minute, one to beat Fulham and the other to snatch a draw at West Ham.
He has now scored six in his last seven appearances, making it difficult for Carrick to ignore his contribution to the team’s resurgence, which has only strengthened the head coach’s own credentials after he was tasked with resetting the team following the sacking of Ruben Amorim in January.
