Sesko’s 96th-minute leveller earns Manchester United a point as West Ham miss chance to close on safety
Late twist at the London Stadium
West Ham United were seconds away from a win that could have strengthened their hopes of Premier League survival, only for Manchester United substitute Benjamin Sesko to score a 96th-minute equaliser in a 1-1 draw at the London Stadium.
The late goal denied the home side a result that would have carried extra weight in the lower reaches of the table. West Ham’s inability to see out the game also ensured they missed the opportunity to move level on points with 17th-place Nottingham Forest, who host Wolves on Wednesday. For Manchester United, the point kept them fourth, but it also ended a run that had threatened to become a fifth straight win under Michael Carrick.
In front of an attendance of 62,473, the match offered a contrast in styles and game states: long spells of Manchester United possession, a compact and increasingly assertive West Ham, and ultimately a dramatic finish that left both managers reflecting on what might have been.
How the match unfolded
The contest began with Manchester United seeing plenty of the ball, but West Ham’s approach was clear: contain the visitors, limit the spaces they like to exploit, and look to strike when the moment arrived. Carrick’s side, for all their possession, found it difficult to consistently open up a West Ham team that appeared organised and energised.
Chances were limited in a first half that set the tone more than it delivered action. Still, one key moment stood out. West Ham full-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, facing his former club, produced an important defensive intervention by clearing Luke Shaw’s effort off the line after a well-worked corner routine. It was the kind of moment that can swing momentum, and it helped West Ham reach the interval with the game still goalless.
The second half, however, proved to be a different story. West Ham emerged with greater intent, and their improved start was rewarded quickly. Five minutes after the restart, Jarrod Bowen overpowered Shaw and created the opening for Tomas Soucek, who finished from close range with a tap-in to put the hosts ahead.
From there, the match shifted into a tense pattern: Manchester United trying to find a way through, West Ham defending with commitment, and the stakes rising as the minutes ticked down.
Soucek strikes, then VAR rules out a United response
West Ham’s lead put them in a position to claim three points of significant value, and for long stretches they looked capable of protecting it. Manchester United did have a moment that appeared to bring them level in the 62nd minute when Casemiro headed home. But celebrations were cut short as the goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR check, described as the narrowest of calls.
The disallowed goal added to the tension and underlined how fine the margins were. West Ham remained in front, and the game moved into its final phase with the home side still holding the advantage.
Sesko’s stoppage-time impact
Manchester United’s persistence eventually paid off in the most dramatic fashion. Sesko, introduced from the bench, scored in the 96th minute to make it 1-1, a late intervention that ensured West Ham could not convert their advantage into a vital win.
The equaliser also continued a notable trend for the forward, who has now scored his second injury-time goal in three substitute appearances. For United, it was a reminder of their ability to salvage outcomes even when not at their best; for West Ham, it was a painful way to concede points after putting themselves in a strong position.
Possession without comfort for Manchester United
Although Manchester United enjoyed the majority of possession, the match did not follow a straightforward script. West Ham’s defensive work and their willingness to let the visitors have the ball meant Carrick’s side often found themselves circulating play without creating the kind of clear openings they would have wanted.
It was, as the night suggested, a different test for Manchester United. West Ham’s organisation restricted certain areas of the pitch, and the home side’s second-half aggression, particularly in the duel that led to the opening goal, posed problems United did not consistently solve.
In that context, Sesko’s late finish carried additional significance: it turned a performance that had looked set to end in defeat into one that still produced a point.
What the result means in the table
For West Ham, the draw felt like a missed chance. A win would have allowed them to move level on points with Nottingham Forest in 17th, but the late concession prevented that. The dropped points also give Forest an opportunity to pull clear of the Hammers when they face Wolves on Wednesday.
Manchester United, meanwhile, remain in fourth place. The draw also meant they were denied a fifth straight win under Carrick, but it extended a run in which they have recorded only one draw across a five-game period, a sequence Carrick later referenced as a positive overall.
Nuno: “We should have put the game to bed”
West Ham manager Nuno Espirito Santo expressed disappointment at conceding so late, particularly given the opportunities his side had to settle the match in the closing stages.
“[I’m] disappointed, of course, all of us [are],” he said, pointing to the shared frustration among players, supporters and staff at the final outcome.
Nuno also highlighted what he felt were the key positives from his team’s display, focusing on their defensive structure and their ability to contain a Manchester United side he described as being in a good dynamic. He emphasised West Ham’s strong start to the second half, which brought the opening goal, and praised the organisation and effort shown throughout.
At the same time, he was clear about the decisive moments that slipped away. In his view, West Ham had “two or three situations” late on with space in behind and should have taken one to secure the three points. Instead, the match ended with the sting of a stoppage-time equaliser.
Carrick: “Mixed feelings” but another sign of resilience
Manchester United manager Michael Carrick described his reaction as “mixed feelings,” acknowledging that his side were not at their best and giving credit to West Ham for their approach, particularly in closing down spaces.
Carrick said United “can be better,” but he also took encouragement from the emotional response within his squad. He noted that the players were frustrated and disappointed with aspects of their performance, which he framed as a positive sign of standards and expectations.
The late goal, in Carrick’s view, reinforced a valuable trait: the ability to find a way back into a match. He said it was “a good moment” and another indication that his team can produce a response when required, even if it is not something he wants them to rely on too often.
He also placed the draw within the broader context of recent results, pointing to the five-game period and suggesting that coming through it with only one draw represented “a big positive,” even if this particular night did not deliver the performance level he wanted.
Key moments
First half: Aaron Wan-Bissaka cleared Luke Shaw’s effort off the line after a corner routine, keeping the game goalless.
50th minute (five minutes after the break): Jarrod Bowen overpowered Shaw and set up Tomas Soucek for a close-range finish to make it 1-0.
62nd minute: Casemiro headed in for Manchester United, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR check.
96th minute: Substitute Benjamin Sesko scored a late equaliser to earn Manchester United a 1-1 draw.
A night defined by fine margins
The match ultimately turned on moments rather than sustained dominance. West Ham’s improved second-half start, Bowen’s physicality in the build-up to the opener, and Soucek’s presence in the decisive area gave them a lead they defended with discipline for most of the evening.
Manchester United, despite controlling possession, struggled to create enough clear-cut chances and were left to rue the offside decision that ruled out Casemiro’s header. Yet their late equaliser ensured they left east London with something to show for a difficult night.
For West Ham, the frustration was amplified by the context: the chance to gain ground in the survival race and the sense, voiced by Nuno, that late opportunities should have been converted to make the game safe. Instead, Sesko’s stoppage-time intervention ensured the points were shared, leaving the battle at the bottom and the chase at the top to continue with little margin for error.