Manchester United's interim boss Michael Carrick praised match-winner Benjamin Sesko after the striker came off the bench to score for the third time in four matches in the 1-0 victory at Everton on Monday.
The Slovenia striker has yet to start in Carrick’s six matches in charge, but has contributed two winners and a late equaliser to maintain the former midfielder’s unbeaten start.
Sesko has scored six in his last seven appearances, but has still not managed to force his way into the starting XI and, while Carrick said there was maybe some frustration for the €75 million summer signing, the 22-year-old was not complaining.
“I get why everyone’s talking about it and making a bigger deal of it, but I’ve got a really good relationship with Ben,” said Carrick. “I’ve got no problem with Ben and he hasn’t got an issue. He obviously wants to play, but I can’t speak highly enough of how he’s been and the work he’s putting in and his attitude to come on and do what he’s done again.
“We’ve had some really good conversations and he’s in a really good place, and part of us is helping him take his steps in development and growing him as a player. Sometimes that’s little steps, sometimes that’s bigger steps and he’s taken some huge steps recently. That’s great to see.”
Carrick also had praise for Senne Lammens, who kept United’s first league clean sheet away from home since last March after repelling plenty of Everton pressure in the second half.
“For me a goalkeeper has to be reliable, be trustworthy,” he said. “Instead of creating a chaos, you want him to take the chaos away and calm things down. I think Senne does that.”
Man United player ratings
Senne Lammens – 8: Busy right at the start and then very little to do for the rest of the first half until he held a 38th minute Garner free-kick from distance. Good save at the start of the second half from Armstrong, then late on from Keane. Strong on corners, which were Everton’s greatest threat. They had 11, United had one. Looks a bargain at £18 million.
Diogo Dalot – 7: Sloppy start then involved in an attack that saw two chances during a frantic opening for both teams. Shot wide just before the break. Got in a fine position but poor cross on 54 minutes.
Harry Maguire – 8: Switched to the left and ended up having a top game. Pushed into a couple of errors in a first half which became scrappy. Opened up a 37th minute attack then got his angles wrong. Best when defending corner after corner as he dominated in the air. United's best outfield player.
Lenny Yoro – 7: Started as Lisandro Martinez was injured and it was the game he needed. Kept busy as Everton launched everything they could in front of a capacity 52,326 crowd.
Luke Shaw – 7: Right-footed shot blocked on 19, but his final passes let him down in the first half. Defended well as Everton pushed and pushed.
Casemiro – 7: Caught out as Everton got up and at United. Pass of the match towards Amad on 52 minutes, then another to Dalot on 64 minutes. Booked for time wasting.
Kobbie Mainoo – 7: Effective against Everton’s many corners against a side who were better without the ball than with it. Smart ball in for Mbeumo on 51 minutes. Been key under Carrick as United have won 16/18 points.
Amad Diallo – 6: Early shot cleared off the line by Tarkowski. Another let down by his final ball in the final third in the first half. First man subbed off.
Bruno Fernandes – 6: Chopped a ball into the middle after wonderful play in the build-up. Free-kick on half an hour didn’t beat the first man. Hit a shot over on 45 minutes. Increasingly energetic towards the end, when he was booked.
Matheus Cunha – 6: Hit a shot on target in the fourth minute. Ran forward with the ball on 65 minutes but slipped. Bested by Garner, who played out of position, but then hit a wonderful 45-yard pass to start the counter-attack for the goal.
Bryan Mbeumo – 6: Scraped a shot wide after half an hour. Blazed a 62nd minute shot over. Went to ground after a Tarkowski barge on 56 minutes. It was his poorest game for United, until he played a key part for the goal, setting up Sesko.
Substitutes:
Benjamin Sesko (for Amad, 57) – 7: More minutes than usual. And how he made it count, putting United ahead on 71 minutes after a classic counter-attack by sweeping a Mbeumo pass beyond Pickford. Could and should have got a second.
Noussair Mazraoui (for Mbeumo, 76) – 6: Booked as he took one for the team on 91 minutes
Ayden Heaven (for Cunha, 94): No rating.
