Carrick praises ‘remarkable’ Sesko strike that secures draw for Man United
Michael Carrick praised substitute Benjamin Sesko’s “incredible finish” following the striker’s remarkable last-minute volley that earned Manchester United a 1-1 draw against West Ham United.
Sesko connected with Bryan Mbeumo’s cross six minutes into stoppage time, sending it into the top corner to prevent Carrick’s former club West Ham from securing a crucial win in their relegation fight.
This marked the second occasion the Slovenian, who has yet to start a match under interim manager Carrick, has come off the bench to score late, having previously netted the winner against Fulham.
“It’s always about finding the right balance. The players who have been on the pitch have performed exceptionally well,” Carrick stated.
“Ben is putting in a lot of effort, he’s in a good position and ready to advance. When he entered the game, he certainly made a significant impact.
“It’s an incredible finish from that angle to generate such power, to get it on target, to finish it — it’s a remarkable goal.
“He has the ability to do that, Ben. He has consistently shown it. It’s not as if he has just suddenly emerged. He has been proving he can score goals, and he has been doing it in training as well.
“It’s not surprising, to be honest. I think it’s part of his skill set. The previous goal would have boosted his confidence.
“Tonight was a bit different with the game’s emotions, but it was certainly significant and a big moment for both him and us.”
United were aiming for a fifth consecutive Premier League win under Carrick but were thankful for a point after Tomás Soucek gave West Ham the lead early in the second half.
“Mixed emotions,” Carrick added. “We recognize we weren’t at our best, and we can give credit to West Ham for that.
“Scoring a late goal when we needed one is a positive for us. In the larger context, we can accept a point and regroup. Four wins and a draw from these five matches is a positive outcome.”
It was a disappointing outcome for West Ham, who, had they held on, would have drawn level with 17th-placed Nottingham Forest less than a month after being seven points behind.
“We are of course disappointed, both the players and the fans,” said manager Nuno Espirito Santo. “We competed very well and managed to contain a strong team.
“The way we started the second half was very encouraging; we scored and defended well. Overall, it was a very positive defensive performance, and we had opportunities to secure the win.
“We need to recover from these setbacks. We must keep pushing forward. There is no other option.”
Frank Ilett, the United supporter who gained over two million social media followers after vowing not to cut his hair until the Red Devils achieved five consecutive victories, will have to wait for his trip to the barber.
