Benjamin Sesko's decisive 71st-minute strike secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory for Manchester United against Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
The Slovenian striker’s late intervention settled a tense Premier League encounter, providing a crucial three points for the visitors.
Manchester United arrived in confident form, sitting fifth in the league with a DWWWW streak. Everton, meanwhile, occupied ninth position, looking to bounce back from an inconsistent LWDDW run.
The first half unfolded as a cagey affair, with both teams battling for control. Everton, however, showed more attacking intent in the opening period.
The Toffees registered 12 total shots and four on target before the break. United's goalkeeper, Senne Lammens, was kept busy, making four important saves.
Jordan Pickford in the Everton goal made one save from United's three shots on target. Despite this, neither side managed to break the deadlock before the interval.
At half-time, the score remained goalless, setting the stage for a compelling second half. Both managers faced decisions on how to ignite their respective attacks and find a breakthrough.
Manchester United introduced Benjamin Sesko in the 58th minute, replacing Amad Diallo. This substitution proved to be the turning point for the visitors.
The impact was almost immediate when Sesko found the net in the 71st minute. Bryan Mbeumo provided the crucial assist, threading a pass for Sesko to calmly finish.
Everton responded with substitutions, bringing on H. Armstrong and T. Iroegbunam. However, frustration mounted, leading to yellow cards for Jordan Pickford in the 77th minute and James Tarkowski in the 83rd.
United also collected late cautions for Harry Maguire (84th minute), Noussair Mazraoui (90+2 minutes), and Bruno Fernandes (90+5 minutes). The match ended with a flurry of fouls and a heightened sense of tension.
United's victory came despite a balanced statistical sheet, with 52% possession to Everton's 48%. Their higher expected goals (xG) of 1.27 compared to Everton's 0.65 highlighted the quality of their chances.
The result sees Manchester United solidify their push for a European spot, maintaining their strong run of form. Everton remains in ninth, reflecting on a missed opportunity to climb the Premier League table at home.
