…Carrick Keeps United Flying, UCL Hopes Alive
Benjamin Sesko’s second-half goal was enough for red-hot Manchester United to stay hot with a 1-0 win over Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium on Monday.
The goal kept interim manager Michael Carrick unbeaten after a cagey scrap that saw each team manage just 16 touches in the other’s 18-yard-box.
United’s goal came on a counterattack as Sesko raced nearly the length of the pitch to finish a feed from Bryan Mbeumo and move the Red Devils onto 48 points, three points ahead of fifth-place Chelsea and sixth-place Liverpool
Everton’s loud home crowd set the tone for this game and their Toffees backed them up from the opening whistle, getting on top of United’s players with hard tackles and fouls that — at least according to Darren England — usually stayed on the right side of the yellow card line. And while there were periods of time in which Bruno Fernandes and Bryan Mbeumo didn’t cover themselves in glory vis a vis embellishment, the Red Devils were up for the Moyesian challenge of a physical fight. Matheus Cunha got involved in tough tackling and trash talking while Harry Maguire met James Tarkowski’s tackling head-on. Of course it’s all worth just a point without a moment of magic, and Sesko’s super sub goal was an impressive showing of energy, commitment, and technical skill. This wasn’t an entertaining game for neutrals but United found a way to get their win. They’re a tougher out now
