Man Utd Fixtures: Everton win and rivals’ schedules fuel push for top-three finish
Manchester United’s recent run and the lay of the remaining Man Utd Fixtures have intensified talk that the club could climb into the top three. Benjamin Sesko’s late strike and a congested schedule for rivals leave United well positioned with twelve games to go.
Man Utd Fixtures: Monday night at the Hill Dickinson Stadium
United were not in action over the weekend because of broadcast selections and awaited Monday night’s game at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with that match scheduled to be shown live on Sky Sports in the UK. Club media published that Michael Carrick would hold a press conference at 13: 30 GMT on Friday, with a second session available from 22: 30 on Sunday.
Benjamin Sesko’s 71st-minute finish sealed the Everton result
Benjamin Sesko came off the bench and scored in the 71st minute with a calm finish past Jordan Pickford to secure a 1-0 victory at Everton. It was Sesko’s third goal off the bench in four games and extended Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run to six matches. The move that produced the goal was built from a superb pass by Matheus Cunha and a final pass from Bryan Mbeumo that Sesko finished.
Michael Carrick’s unbeaten stretch and squad patterns
The Everton win left United unbeaten under Michael Carrick and moved them back up to fourth in the Premier League table. Diogo Dalot has started every game under Carrick, while Kobbie has started all five matches under Michael, his output described as simple and effective with two assists highlighted. Licha has reached ten consecutive starts, and Senne Lammens has been credited with a quiet authority in goal.
Senne Lammens’ defending and clean-sheet numbers
Everton applied pressure from set pieces late but Senne Lammens and his defence held firm, completing a third clean sheet in United’s last six games. United’s defensive resilience in recent fixtures has been a measurable feature of the side’s improved results under Carrick.
Aston Villa, Chelsea and Liverpool face European knockouts in March
United’s four-point scramble for Champions League places was reshaped by rival results: Aston Villa drew 1-1 at home to Leeds United, Chelsea conceded a last-minute goal against Burnley on Saturday, and Liverpool found a late goal to beat Nottingham Forest. Those mixed results left only six points separating the four teams fighting to join Arsenal and Man City in the top five. With Aston Villa three points clear of United and Chelsea and Liverpool engaged in European knockout ties that restart in March, pundits have pointed to the schedule imbalance as an advantage for United.
Jamie Carragher has described Champions League qualification for Manchester United as all but certain, citing the club’s position and rivals’ workloads. Gary Neville has argued that the lack of European distraction for United — coupled with an extended period without a fixture — gives them an opportunity to press for a top-four, even top-three, finish, noting the players’ growing resilience and ability to grind out results.
United have also recorded clear attacking figures this season: the club has scored 50 goals in 2025/26 and is sitting top of the form table in 2026, evidence the staff cite as a reason to push for a strong finish with twelve games remaining.
What makes this notable is the convergence of form, fixture timing and rival commitments: a 1-0 win that provided a three-point cushion over some contenders, coupled with rivals juggling European knockout matches, creates a narrow but clear pathway for United to climb higher in the table. The next stretch of fixtures, broadcast decisions aside, will determine whether that pathway becomes a run to the Champions League or a missed opportunity.
