Benjamin Sesko came off the bench to secure a 1-0 victory for Manchester United at Everton, moving the Red Devils into fourth place in the Premier League and extending Michael Carrick’s unbeaten start in charge.
The Slovenian striker, who had scored just twice in his first 22 appearances following his £74 million ($100 million) transfer from RB Leipzig, has now netted six goals in his last seven matches. Despite not starting any of Carrick’s first six games, Sesko proved decisive once again.
The winning move came 19 minutes from time, when Sesko laid off the ball to Matheus Cunha before sprinting downfield to finish Bryan Mbeumo’s perfectly-weighted pass.
Victory lifts Manchester United three points clear of Chelsea and Liverpool in the race for a Champions League spot, with only the top five qualifying next season.
Everton remain winless in seven home games, struggling to adapt to life at their new 52,000-capacity Hill Dickinson Stadium. A late Everton rally was repelled as Senne Lammens tipped over a long-range effort from Michael Keane.
Under Carrick, Manchester United have kept three clean sheets in six games, a significant improvement on just two clean sheets all season prior to the departure of former manager Ruben Amorim, edging closer to a return to the Champions League for the first time in three seasons.
