Benjamin Sesko Winner at the end of the 90 minutes (stoppage time) served to characterize a night of anarchy, controversy and faith at Old Trafford with Manchester United defeating Fulham 3-2 in a chaotic relation showstopper of a Premier League match at Old Trafford to make it three in a row under the care of Michael Carrick. Against a backdrop of back and forth in the final moments, one of the old tricks once more came back to United, as Sesko delivered a moment of decisive action in sending the home fans into the ecstasy, and catapulting the club into the top four.
Benjamin Sesko stoppage-time goal was virtually unavoidable when it was announced that the game had nine minutes of added time but not many would have guessed that the game would get to where it did so quickly. And at first glance United looked so dominant. Thereafter, Fulham warned of stealing the outcome. Sesko calmly and ultimately put the situation in perspective, however and it was worthy of the raising he was giving to his side of the world that he brought it all to a close in a way that was finished and elegant and full of composure.
United started with control and perseverance as they determined pace and drove Fulham back. Casemiro, who is becoming stronger as a player in the midfield, introduced the ambiance with his placement and game comprehension. Prior to the period, the pressure of United prevailed in the dramatic sense. The spot was marked by a referee John Brooks at first after Matheus Cunha was fouled by Jorge Cuenca, but VAR reversed it when the replay showed that the point of contact was slightly outside the area. But the drubbing stopped Fulham but briefly. Bruno Fernandes swung the resultant free-kick out to the far post and Casemiro rose higher than his opponent, to head home giving United a justifiable lead.
Following the break, it seemed that United has made the stranglehold tighter. Casemiro became provider, in the Fulham defence putting a pass on the head of Cunha, who smashed his finish past a goalkeeper with conviction. The atmosphere at Old Trafford was that of an easy night out at 2-0 and the presence of a relaxing Carrick on the touch line was at best a sign of a manager who was gaining confidence with each week.
But the game could not be followed according to a simple script. Persevering and organized, Fulham rejuvenated and VAR was a centre of interest once more. One of the goals by the visiting team was disallowed by a long check which caused frustration among the players and fans and was considered by visible anger of the manager of the team, Marco Silva. It brought that feeling of injustice that appeared to energise the visitors.
Fulham was given a chance by Raul Jimenez, five minutes to go. Once Harry Maguire had fallened him, the striker was so long with his penalty that he kept delaying his run-up to the extent that he broke the ball into the roof of the net. This objective added faith to Fulham and stress to Old Trafford.
The mood changed when the nine minutes of injury time were shown. Fulham took advantage and it seemed Kevin had done a spectacular comeback by flying a shot to a top corner. Before long, United lost its two-goal lead and the specters of failure of the past were looming large.
However, this United team portrayed a new frame of mind by Carrick. Benjamin Sesko stoppage-time winner came as a message of strong will and clarity during crisis. Towards the end of added time, Bruno Fernandes sent a pass to Sesko in a measured ball. The forward took possession of the ball and, spotting there no opposition, turned sharply in the goal and as Fulham defenders were slow in closing him down, threw a fierce shot at the top corner. It was a goal to take winning any game not to mention that it was an emotionally charged game.
It was a party that was loud, both in the stadium and the bleachers. Playing Old Trafford favourite Carrick, experiencing the adulation of the approving fans took the plunge into the accolades. This was amazing since Ruben Amorim, in his capacity as a manager in United, had managed to win three consecutive matches in 36 games in the Premier League. Carrick has achieved it in only three, the statistic that is used to emphasize the influence of his initial tenure.
Other than the Headline moment, there were other outstanding performances. Casemiro was the best with a goal and assist and dictating the middlefield fights. Cunha was full of dynamism and straight forwardness and on occasions, Fernandes remained decisive with his creativity in critical situations. Sesko, in his turn, showed the composure and professional advantage which United have not shown in recent years.
To Fulham the loss was sadistic. They can take pride in their resilience and ability to upsurge, and it will be through faults in the defense and timestamps that Silva will regret. There are also questions raised about the transfer policy of the club and recent transfers are still getting used to the beds and it seems to me that stalling in business will cost them in the European race.
Lastly, the general lesson of this visit cannot be missed. Benjamin Sesko stoppage-time goal was not a simple goal, in itself, but a representation of momentum, faith and recovered identity. In the case of Manchester United, it became another move in the right direction with Michael Carrick. It was a bitter lesson to Fulham of how fine the margins are. And to the Premier League it was the second reason to remember that, where the clock continues to keep ticking at Old Trafford, drama will never be at a great distance.
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