Benjamin Sesko came off the bench to score the only goal in Manchester United's 1-0 victory over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium. The win moved United into fourth place in the Premier League, three points behind Aston Villa. Interim coach Michael Carrick's side extended their unbeaten run to 10 league games.
Manchester United secured a hard-fought 1-0 win against Everton on February 23, 2026, at the newly opened Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool. The match, which kicked off at 8pm UK time, was a low-scoring affair dominated by defensive play until the 71st minute, when substitute Benjamin Sesko found the net to clinch the three points.
The decisive moment came from a swift counter-attack. Matheus Cunha played a long ball to Bryan Mbeumo, who advanced and squared to Sesko for a composed finish past Jordan Pickford. This was United's first real threat since an early chance in the fourth minute, when James Tarkowski cleared Amad Diallo's shot off the line after it slipped under Pickford.
Sesko, the 22-year-old Slovenian striker signed from RB Leipzig for £73.7m in August 2025, has now scored six goals in his last seven appearances, including five non-penalty goals in the Premier League this year. Despite not starting any of Carrick's six matches in charge, Sesko has contributed two winning goals and a late equalizer. "For me, it’s important whenever I come on to try and help the team," Sesko said. "Whether that is five minutes or 90 minutes, it doesn’t really matter."
At the other end, goalkeeper Senne Lammens, another summer signing for £18.1m, was pivotal for United. The 23-year-old Belgian made a crucial save from Michael Keane's powerful shot and handled a barrage of corners late on. Everton manager David Moyes praised Lammens as "the best player" on the pitch.
Everton's best opportunity fell to Harrison Armstrong, whose weak effort was easily saved by Lammens. The ninth-placed Toffees, under Moyes, have lost just one of their last six league games but remain winless in their past six home matches across all competitions.
Carrick, appointed interim head coach in January following Ruben Amorim's sacking, has overseen five wins and a draw in six games, revitalizing United's Champions League push. The result leaves them undefeated in 10 Premier League matches—their longest streak since 14 games in 2021 under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. As Carrick noted of Sesko, "The confidence and belief he is playing with is great to see."
United's victory positions them three points ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool, enhancing their hopes of returning to the Champions League after a two-year absence.
