EVERTON 0-1 MANCHESTER UNITED: Benjamin Sesko was the matchwinner again for Michael Carrick who has now won five of his games since replacing Ruben Amorim as head coach
Benjamin Sesko celebrates after a Manchester United goal
Benjamin Sesko scored the only goal in Manchester United's win over Everton(Image: Carl Recine)
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The angry celebration has been in vogue for a good while but even by modern standards, Benjamin Sesko’s effort in front of the travelling supporters was a belter.
It was a loud, air-punching message to Michael Carrick. Any chance of a start now, boss?
The manager’s argument would be that Sesko is proving himself to be an impact substitute of the highest order and that United have now won five of the six games Carrick has taken charge of. But the £74million substitute’s second half winner was another compelling strand to his argument that he deserves to start.
You would, though, not blame Carrick for not wanting to change. After all, his revolution has hardly been, er, revolutionary. It has simply been as sensible as the man himself.
Round pegs, round holes, stick with what works, and no need for rotation with a schedule that allows players to take holidays in between matches.
The comfort zone is a bigger threat to Carrick’s planning than the red zone. If they all stayed fit, he could start the same eleven in every remaining match of this season.
As it happened, Lisandro Martinez had to sit this one out but it was never going to be an overly rigorous defensive test for United once David Moyes had decided to deploy one of his most creative players, James Garner, at right-back.
That was not the only eccentric piece of full-back selection from the Everton manager, Jarrad Branthwaite doing the honours on the left flank.
Benjamin Sesko and Michael Carrick
Sesko has had a huge impact from the bench under Michael Carrick(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA)
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To be fair, the slightly odd set-up did not work too badly but United’s limited threat was more to do with the continuing absence of a bona fide central striker in the starting line-up. Also known as Sesko.
And with Thierno Barry having little joy in his solo mission, it was a first half devoid of any penalty area action of serious note.
United’s lack of attacking threat was quite surprising and Carrick must have been tempted to make a change at the interval but somehow resisted. That Moyes stuck with the same eleven for the start of the second half was perfectly understandable but the net result was more of the same mediocrity.
And after less than an hour, Carrick had seen enough and called on Sesko.
Michael Carrick celebrates after a Manchester United win
United's head coach looks to have a selection headache on his hands(Image: Robbie Jay Barratt/AMA)
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By then, it was clear Moyes was going to be content for his team to operate exclusively on the counter-attack even though they had, arguably, the most inventive on the pitch in the shape of Iliman Ndiaye. He really is a talent. Everton should not be a selling club but they are going to find it mightily hard to hold on to the Senegalese player.
It was his clever run and pass that set up a chance for Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall that, although wasted, gave the home side some rare attacking momentum. But that turned out to be Everton’s undoing.
With men committed forward, they were unusually short at the back and a superb raking pass from Matheus Cunha exploited the lack of numbers. Mbeumo took the long pass well and played a simple but very accomplished assist into the path of Sesko.
That is three big summer signings combining for as good a counter-attacking goal as you will see.
And it is a combination that United fans will be looking forward to seeing a lot more as the Carrick bandwagon rumbles on.
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