Everton Vs Man United: Benjamin Sesko and Senne Lammens give Man Utd real hope in everton vs man united
Super-sub Benjamin Sesko earned Manchester United a 1-0 win at Everton, a result that the club's head coach says shows the forward is "growing as a player. " The match and subsequent comments have strengthened belief in United's chances of returning to the Champions League after a two-year absence.
Everton Vs Man United match report
Sesko's winner came in the 71st minute of the 1-0 victory at Everton, scored on United's first visit to Hill Dickinson Stadium. The goal followed a sequence in which Sesko laid off a pass to Matheus Cunha, then covered ground—described in the coverage as running 70 yards at top speed—before steadying himself and coolly slotting home Bryan Mbeumo's square pass.
The match photo caption noted "Manchester United match-winner Benjamin Sesko and goalkeeper Senne Lammens after the 1-0 win at Everton. " Without the Slovenian's contributions off the bench, the coverage stated, United would have lost at West Ham on 10 February and drawn with Everton on Monday.
Sesko's decisive 71st-minute strike
The finish in the 71st minute was called a feat of physical excellence and praised as "a great finish, a ruthless finish" by Michael Carrick, who added: "I like the way he put it away with real confidence. " The earlier stoppage-time volley that earned a point at West Ham on 10 February was described as a thing of "aesthetic beauty. "
Former defender Jamie Carragher watched the goal admiringly and said: "Sesko has gone over 80 yards and then finishes. You expect him to be breathing heavily and panting after that. But no, he still has the energy to really celebrate. " The coverage therefore includes both the 70-yard description of his run and Carragher's remark that he went "over 80 yards. "
Carrick and Sesko on pressure
Michael Carrick said of Sesko: "He is growing as a player. Sometimes it's big steps, sometimes it's little steps. He has taken some huge ones recently. The confidence and belief he is playing with is great to see. " Carrick also acknowledged the debate about Sesko's role, noting he understands it but "doesn't feel it is especially important. "
Sesko, 22, has spoken about pressure himself, calling it a "privilege" and "something I have to have. " He said: "If I want to be a good player, the pressure is something I have to have. I take it as a privilege. It has [to be there] if you want to play at the highest level. It's about accepting it and not really caring about it. " On his relationship with the manager he said: "We are talking, of course, but [Michael Carrick] believes in me. Everyone believes in me. They are getting me ready to start as soon as possible. It's more about me showing up when it's important. No matter how many minutes I'm getting, I'm focusing on delivering and trying to help the team secure the wins. "
Form run and goals tally
Sesko has taken his goals tally to eight for the season. Remarkably, he only scored twice under Ruben Amorim, who signed him from RB Leipzig for £73. 7m in August 2025. Now he has six in his latest seven games, a run that began with three in two matches while Darren Fletcher was in interim charge after Amorim's dismissal at the start of January.
That return has led many observers to feel Sesko is unlucky not to have made the starting XI for any of the six games Carrick has had at the helm.
Context and squad situation
The goals have put Carrick's men out on their own in fourth spot, three points behind Aston Villa and three ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool. In a season when United will only play 40 games because of their absence from European competition and early exits in both domestic cups, Sesko's opportunities under Carrick have been limited, with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo sharing main striking duties.
Despite his recent form, there is no guarantee the 22-year-old will start Sunday's Premier League encounter with Crystal Palace at Old Trafford. Carrick says it is not a problem for Sesko to be on the bench, and Sesko appears to agree, treating pressure as a necessary element of playing at the highest level.
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United's win at Everton, powered by Sesko's late influence and with Senne Lammens pictured alongside him after the game, was presented as a tangible boost to the club's hopes of a Champions League return.
