Super sub Benjamin Sesko's goal keeps MU in top 4 and their unbeaten journey under Carrick's charge goes on.
2025/2026 Premier League
0-1
Match Report
Manchester United moved back into the top four of the Premier League as Benjamin Sesko's goal snatched a 1-0 win at Everton.
Sesko has been United's super-sub under Michael Carrick so far, and the striker played the role yet again as he climbed off the bench to claim all three points at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
In a match of few clear chances – United finished with 1.27 expected goals (xG) to Everton's 0.62 – Sesko's 71st-minute strike came from a moment of sheer quality.
Matheus Cunha played a sensational ball over to Bryan Mbeumo, who squared up Michael Keane before laying it off for the onrushing Sesko to cap a classic counter-attacking goal.
Senne Lammens stood firm in a chaotic six-yard box as Everton sailed 10 corners into the area, while the Belgian also made fine saves from Keane and Tyrique George.
Jordan Pickford denied Sesko a second, but it mattered little for United, whose brilliant start under Carrick continued.
Big Ben strikes again pic.twitter.com/8QANXiQ35o
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 23, 2026
Data Debrief: Carrick carrying United towards the Champions League?
Carrick is yet to lose a game in any competition across both of his spells as United boss (P9 W7 D2), with only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2018-19 (11) and Herbert Bamlett in 1927 (10) managing more games for the club before experiencing their first defeat.
This was a victory United had to grind out, but their attacking firepower came to the fore when their three big-money summer signings clicked for the crucial moment.
No player has scored more Premier League goals as a substitute this season than Sesko (three, level with Emiliano Buendía, Junior Kroupi and Samuel Chukwueze), while the former RB Leipzig forward is on a run of six strikes in his last seven United appearances.
Everton have now lost more Premier League games at Hill Dickinson Stadium in 2025-26 (six) than they did at Goodison Park last season (five), and their bluntness in attack was again on show.
They edged out United for shots (12 to 11) and efforts on target (four to three), yet they failed to create a big chance, while the Red Devils crafted two such opportunities.
Match Events
0' The match is about to start!
4' Cunha strikes inside the box but it is blocked by the defender
4' Amad Diallo gets to the rebound and fires a shot, but Pickford reacts superbly
19' Luke Shaw takes a shot from the edge of the box but it is blocked
22' Mainoo pulls the jersey of his opponent and the ref blows his whistle for a foul
30' Branthwaite is penalised for holding and the referee signals a set piece
31' Dalot gets to the rebound inside the box and smashes the ball just wide
36' Mbeumo has an effort on goal, but he misses to the right of the goal
39' Garner strikes an accurate shot from the free kick but Lammens makes a fine save
45' Bruno latches on to a pass deep into the box, but his shot is way off target
51' Mbeumo gets to the rebound but sends his effort high over the bar
57' Mbeumo is down under a challenge
63' Gueye strikes the ball towards goal, but his effort is blocked by the defender
66' Gueye wins the ball after the corner kick and takes a shot, but it's blocked
71' GOAL! Everton 0-1 Man Utd (Benjamin Sesko)
83' Keane fires a shot towards goal, but it is denied by the keeper
83' Yellow Card! Tarkowski booked yellow for pushing down his opponent
93' Sesko gets one-on-one with the keeper, but his effort is saved by Pickford
Line-ups
Everton XI: Gueye, Pickford, Tarkowski, Keane, Dewsbury-Hall, Garner, Iliman Ndiaye, Jarrad Branthwaite, Tim Iroegbunam, Thierno Barry, Harrison Armstrong
Subs: Coleman, Tom King, Vitaliy Mykolenko, McNeil, Beto, Nathan Patterson, Merlin Röhl, Tyler Dibling, Tyrique George
Man Utd XI: Casemiro, Maguire, Luke Shaw, Bruno Fernandes, Dalot, Matheus Cunha, Bryan Mbeumo, Senne Lammens, Amad Diallo Traore, Mainoo, Yoro
Subs: Mazraoui, Altay Bayındır, Ugarte, Malacia, Zirkzee, Benjamin Sesko, Jack Moorhouse, Ayden Heaven, Tyler Fletcher