Manchester United’s impressive streak under interim boss Michael Carrick was halted on Tuesday night at the London Stadium, but the Red Devils still managed to preserve their unbeaten run thanks to a dramatic late intervention.
Just when it looked like West Ham would walk away with all three points, Slovenia international Benjamin Sesko struck in the sixth minute of added time to rescue a 1-1 draw on February 10. Introduced in the 69th minute in place of Matheus Cunha, Sesko made his presence count in the most decisive way possible.
The hosts had broken the deadlock five minutes after the restart, with Czech midfielder Tomas Soucek finding the net in the 50th minute following a cagey and frustrating first half. United pushed for a response and thought they had found it shortly after the hour mark when Brazilian midfielder Casemiro powered home a header. However, celebrations were cut short as the goal was chalked off following a VAR review.
Carrick responded by shaking things up, sending on Sesko, Leny Yoro and Joshua Zirkzee in a triple substitution that injected urgency and energy into United’s play. The changes gradually tilted momentum in the visitors’ favour as they pressed relentlessly in search of an equaliser.
Their persistence paid off deep into stoppage time when Bryan Mbeumo delivered a dangerous cross from the right flank. Sesko reacted quickest inside the box, converting from close range to snatch a vital point and deny West Ham a memorable victory. The Slovenian forward has now netted twice in his last three outings since completing his move from RB Leipzig, underlining his growing influence in the squad.
Following the match, the Premier League addressed the controversy surrounding Casemiro’s disallowed goal. In a post on X, the league explained that VAR had reviewed the incident and determined that Casemiro was marginally offside when he met Kobbie Mainoo’s cross. Video evidence reportedly showed part of the Brazilian’s knee and arm straying beyond the last defender, leading officials to recommend that the on-field decision be overturned.
The decision has sparked debate among supporters, particularly as comparisons were drawn to a similar goal scored by Florian Wirtz against Fulham in January that was allowed to stand. Nonetheless, Sesko’s late heroics ensured Manchester United left London with their unbeaten record intact, even if their winning run came to an end.
