Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko struck deep into stoppage time in a dramatic 3-2 Premier League victory over Fulham on Sunday as the home side continued their resurgence under interim boss Michael Carrick.

The win propelled United to fourth place in the standings on 41 points and added another statement result to Carrick’s reign, coming after wins over Manchester City and leaders Arsenal. Fulham fell to eighth.

United led 2-0 after goals from Brazilians Casemiro in the 19th minute and Matheus Cunha in the 56th. But Fulham battled back with Raul Jimenez scoring from the penalty spot in the 85th and then Kevin celebrated the equaliser in the 91st minute.

But second-half substitute Sesko had the Old Trafford crowd roaring in the fourth minute of stoppage time after Bruno Fernandes touched the ball past Fulham’s Calvin Bassey and then picked out the Slovenian striker in the box. Sesko, who had hit the post minutes earlier, turned and smashed it into the top corner.

The victory continued United’s stunning turnaround since Ruben Amorim was sacked on January 5 after just over a year at the helm.

“This was a big game,” Carrick, a former United midfielder and captain, told Sky Sports. “(Fulham) are a good team, close behind us in the league.

“Every game is a big game, and we have to treat it like that, and we will do. Today was a tough one, if not tougher, because everyone expected it to be different, but we didn’t, and we got it in the end.

“I’m so delighted for Ben,” he added. “To win the game in front of the Stretford End, there’s not much better than that.”

Casemiro, who has announced he will leave United when his contract expires at season’s end, leapt to head home Fernandes’s free kick in the 19th minute, awarded after a tackle on Cunha just outside the 18-yard box.

Cunha doubled United’s lead with a strike from a tricky angle after Casemiro had slipped a ball to him through Fulham’s defence with a no-look pass.

Samuel Chukwueze briefly celebrated what he thought was Fulham’s first goal midway through the second half, but it was chalked off for offside. Jimenez eventually pulled one back from the spot after he was fouled in the box by Harry Maguire, making for a nervy final few minutes.

Kevin launched a blistering shot from the edge of the box that United goalkeeper Senne Lammens had little chance of stopping, scoring his first Premier League goal for Fulham.

The equaliser set the stage for Sesko’s finale to cap a thoroughly entertaining match.

“It was unbelievable. Scoring at home, the winner. I’ve been dreaming about doing that,” Sesko said.

“(Carrick) has said this many, many times,” he added, on the manager’s message to have fun. “It’s not just that. You can see without the ball how hard we work, and it’s working out in the end. Everyone is on point, covering the space, everything. In the end, that’s what counts.”

Fulham midfielder Emile Smith Rowe called the loss “really frustrating”.

“I thought the boys fought really hard today to get back into the game,” he said. “It’s a bit annoying to concede straight after equalising.”

-Reuters

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Manchester United reignited the Premier League title race with a dramatic 3–2 victory over leaders Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, inflicting the Gunners’ first home league defeat of the season.

Arsenal had the chance to restore a seven-point lead at the top after weekend wins for Manchester City and Aston Villa, but instead saw their grip on the title loosened as a rejuvenated United side produced a thrilling second-half display.

The hosts made a bright start and went ahead in the 29th minute when Lisandro Martínez inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, giving Arsenal a deserved lead. However, United were handed a route back into the contest eight minutes later following a costly error by Martin Zubimendi, whose misplaced pass was intercepted by Bryan Mbeumo, allowing the forward to finish clinically and level the score.

United emerged strongly after the break and took the lead in the 50th minute through Patrick Dorgu, who unleashed a fierce strike that crashed in off the crossbar. Arsenal pushed hard for an equaliser and finally found it in the 84th minute when substitute Mikel Merino poked home from close range.

The drama was not over, though, as United struck again just three minutes later. Matheus Cunha curled a superb effort from outside the box to silence the home crowd and seal a memorable away victory.

The defeat leaves Arsenal winless in their last three league matches, top of the table on 50 points from 23 games, with Manchester City and Aston Villa both closing in on 46 points. United’s victory lifts them to fourth place on 38 points, further tightening an increasingly competitive title race.

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• Summary

• Buoyant United visit Arsenal under interim manager Carrick
• Gunners look to preserve seven-point lead at the top
• Chasers Man City host Wolves, Villa travel to Newcastle

Arsenal versus Manchester United is a fixture that has lost its lustre since the days when they were scrapping for Premier League titles with such ferocity that clashes between the sides inevitably reached boiling point.

They shared out the title between them for nine seasons between 1996 and 2004, with Alex Ferguson’s United taking six and Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal prevailing on three occasions.

United have been a fading force since Ferguson’s reign ended with the 2012-13 title, while Arsenal have not been champions of England since their Invincibles ruled the roost in 2003-04.

After three successive runners-up finishes, Arsenal are red-hot favourites to end that long wait this season and have opened a seven-point lead at the top over stuttering Manchester City and Aston Villa.

They host United on Sunday, and while their visitors are, once again, not in the title equation, the match has suddenly gone from being what most assumed would be a comfortable home win to a fixture that could rekindle memories of old.

CARRICK APPOINTMENT SPARKS REACTION

The sacking of manager Ruben Amorim this month ended another chapter of woe for United, but the appointment of former midfielder Michael Carrick on a caretaker basis until the end of the season sparked an astonishing reaction last weekend.

United’s 2-0 ‘thrashing’ of City at Old Trafford seemed to banish the gloom at a stroke — with Carrick’s side ripping Pep Guardiola’s title contenders to shreds with the kind of swashbuckling football that has been beyond them for so long.

Arsenal have won five and drawn once in their last six league meetings with United, although they did lose a penalty shootout at home this time last year in the FA Cup.

While Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side has a comfortable cushion at the top, they have drawn their last two league matches 0-0 and will be wary of a United side who will be eager to prove last weekend was no flash in the pan.

“I think for Michael his game plan is simple, exactly the same way as you’ve just played against Manchester City,” United’s record scorer Wayne Rooney said this week.

Although trailing Arsenal by 15 points, United are in fifth, one point behind fourth-placed champions Liverpool, and with genuine hopes of qualifying for the Champions League after the ignominy of being absent from Europe this season.

MANCHESTER CITY PLAYING CATCH-UP AGAIN

City reeled in Arsenal in the build-up to Christmas, but a dreadful run of form has left them playing catch-up again.

Three successive Premier League draws before the defeat at Old Trafford, and Tuesday’s Champions League humiliation at Bodo Glimt has threatened to derail their season.

A home game against bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday should allow them to reset, although with the visitors showing signs of life, nothing will be taken for granted.

Unai Emery’s Villa also need a quick bounce back after a draw at Crystal Palace, followed by their first home defeat of the season against Everton last week.

Villa face a tricky trip to Newcastle United on Sunday.

WEST HAM HOPING FOR THREE MORE POINTS

The weekend’s action begins at the London Stadium on Saturday with relegation battlers West Ham United hosting Sunderland, hoping to use last week’s morale-boosting win at Tottenham Hotspur to kick-start their escape bid.

They are in 18th spot, five points behind Nottingham Forest, who go to seventh-placed Brentford on Sunday.

Liverpool go to Bournemouth on Saturday evening knowing they are in a scrap to make next season’s Champions League — even if once again England’s top five are likely to qualify for Europe’s elite club competition.

After four successive draws, Arne Slot’s side are only just ahead of United and two points better off than Chelsea, who go to Crystal Palace on Sunday, though they have welcomed back Mo Salah after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank bought himself some time as they beat Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Tuesday, but the Dane will be back in the firing line at second-from-bottom Burnley on Saturday.

Lose that, and the vultures will be circling again.

-Reuters

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