Michael Carrick praised his side's character after leaving it late for the second week in a row, beating Fulham 3-2 at Old Trafford thanks to a wonderful strike from Benjamin Sesko, netting his most important goal in a Man United shirt to date.It looked all rosy for the Red Devils, who had raced into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Brazilian pair Casemiro and Matheus Cunha, but as the game was entering its final stages, the game state was flipped on its head.
Harry Maguire gave away a penalty, which Raul Jimenez dispatched into the top-left corner, leaving Senne Lammens in goal with no chance, swinging all the momentum to the Cottagers.
There was a nervous atmosphere around the Theatre of Dreams, a feeling all too familiar in recent times as the game trickled into the first minute of nine additional minutes. It would be the visitors who would strike with substitute Kevin unleashing one into the top right-hand corner from distance, silencing the whole of Old Trafford and sending the travelling away fans into bedlam.
United responded almost instantly by going straight back up the other end, with Slovenian international Sesko snatching the winner, sending 75,000 fans into jubilation when his shot flew into the top corner, causing the Stretford End to erupt, channelling the 'United DNA' of old.
Speaking to the press after the game, Carrick said the character his players showed was the most pleasing thing after they maintained their unbeaten run in 2026.
"I knew today would be a really tough game," the former midfielder said.
"People were asking about how we would break down a low block. Fulham was never going to be a low block; they are a really good team. I knew it was not going to be easy.
"The character after the huge setback, after what we did last week, that was the most pleasing thing."
Carrick added, "There is a huge talent within this team. The boys are desperate to learn and keep improving.
"You always feel like you have got a chance in a game when you have players on the pitch who can produce moments, the more of them the better for me."