Michael Carrick’s unbeaten start as Manchester United’s interim manager continued, but required a dramatic late intervention from Benjamin Šeško to salvage a 1-1 draw against West Ham United at London Stadium on . The result extended Carrick’s run to five matches without defeat – four wins and a draw – but also highlighted a performance that fell short of recent standards.
West Ham, battling to avoid relegation, took the lead just after halftime through Tomáš Souček, capitalizing on a breakdown in the United defense. The goal appeared to be the decisive moment until Šeško, a substitute, unleashed a stunning volley in the sixth minute of stoppage time to equalize.
The match unfolded as a cagey affair, particularly in the first half. Both sides struggled to create clear-cut chances, with a Luke Shaw effort cleared off the line by former United player Aaron Wan-Bissaka being one of the few noteworthy moments. The first half saw limited attacking intent, with only three touches of the ball within the penalty area for West Ham and five for Manchester United, illustrating a lack of penetration from either side.
Souček’s goal in the 49th minute stemmed from a low cross by Jarrod Bowen, which the Czech midfielder flicked past Senne Lammens. United thought they had responded just after the hour mark when Casemiro headed home a Kobbie Mainoo cross, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Carrick introduced Šeško in the 68th minute, replacing Cunha, in an attempt to inject more attacking impetus. While Joshua Zirkzee had a late opportunity to equalize, it was Šeško who ultimately delivered, connecting with a cross from Bryan Mbeumo – a detail not previously highlighted but crucial to the goal’s creation – to snatch a point.
The late equalizer denied West Ham a vital victory in their fight against relegation. They have now dropped more points from winning positions than any other team in the Premier League this season (20). Nuno Espírito Santo’s side remain in 18th place, two points adrift of Nottingham Forest, who play Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday.
Manchester United, meanwhile, maintain their fourth-place position in the league table. Carrick acknowledged the team wasn’t at its best, crediting West Ham’s performance. “Mixed feelings,” Carrick said, as reported by ESPN. “We know we weren’t at our best and You can credit West Ham with that.” He also highlighted the positive of finishing with a late goal when forced to find one.
Carrick was effusive in his praise of Šeško’s finish, describing it as “unbelievable.” “It’s an unbelievable finish from the angle to generate that, to get it on target, to finish it — it’s some goal,” Carrick stated. He further emphasized that Šeško’s ability to score is not a recent development, noting he has been demonstrating this quality in training.
The draw also has implications for a unique fan-led story. Frank Ilett, a Manchester United supporter who vowed not to cut his hair until the team achieved five consecutive wins, will have to wait longer for a trip to the barber. Ilett, who has garnered significant attention online with over 1.3 million Instagram followers, even received an offer from Gerard Piqué to cut his hair should the five-game winning streak be achieved. That milestone remains elusive for now.
Manchester United’s next challenge is an away fixture against Everton on . West Ham will turn their attention to the FA Cup, facing Burton Albion on .
West Ham United 1-1 Manchester United (0:0)
Goals: Tomáš Souček 50 – Benjamin Šeško 90+5
West Ham: Hermansen (gk) – Wan Bissaka, Disasi, Mavropanos, Diouf (79′ Scarles) – Soucek, Potts (79′ Magassa) – Bowen (k) (90′ Traore), Mateus Fernandes, Summerville (90′ Walker-Peters) – Castellanos (69′ Wilson)
Manager: Nuno Espírito Santo
Manchester United: Lammens (gk) – Dalot (82′ Zirkzee), Maguire (68′ Yoro), Martinez, Shaw – Casemiro, Mainoo – Amad, Bruno Fernandes (k), Cunha (68′ Sesko) – Mbeumo
Manager: Michael Carrick
Location: London, London Stadium
Referee: Simon Hooper
Yellow Cards: Mateus Fernandes – Diogo Dalot
