West Ham 1-1 Manchester UTD: Michael Carrick’s honeymoon looked to be over before Benjamin Sesko equalized again late on to cancel out Tomas Soucek’s opener.
Benjamin Sesco saved a draw at the death (Image: James Fearn/Getty Images)
Benjamin Sesco’s 96th-minute equalizer broke West Ham’s spirits and held Manchester United to a 1-1 draw. Tomas Soucek’s second-half goal appeared to be the difference between victory and victory would have taken Nuno Espirito Santo’s side within three goals of breaking out of the relegation zone.
However, Sesco, who came on as a substitute, took a point from Brian Mbeumo’s cross. Michael Carrick returned to his old club in search of a fifth straight win, but despite the draw he was able to celebrate in the closing stages by keeping the Red Devils in the top four.
Here are five stories from the London Stadium.
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1. An unforgettable first half
If you missed the first 45 minutes, you didn’t miss much. Pedestrian football for both teams meant there were few chances, with Senne Lamence getting a decent shot off the in-form Crisencio Somerville and giving the goalkeeper the most work to do.
However, the visitors went just one step closer when Aaron Wan-Bissaka blocked Luke Shaw’s shot on the line after a good corner routine from Carrick’s side. Although they had more possession, they rarely kept it in the final third, constantly allowing West Ham to get bodies back.
To explain the lack of goalmouth action, each team generated a total of only 0.28 expected goals. It was definitely the worst half of Carrick’s short reign up to that point.
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Michael Carrick was thinking about what to do during the break (Image: Ian Kington/AFP via Getty Images)
2. West Ham duo step up
But could this have been an even worse half for Carrick? After Luke Shaw hesitated and allowed the punt forward to bounce, Jarrod Bowen took the ball and handed it over to Soucek.
The Czech had the time and space to play the ball back to Bowen, who darted out from the right flank, his Claret shirt spilling into the box. Soucek scored after lofting a low cross, completing a brilliant move with his team-mates and finally giving those inside the London Stadium a chance to cause a stir.
It was Soucek’s third goal against the Red Devils, having also scored at Old Trafford last season. The midfielder’s strike also saw him surpass Patrik Berger as the highest-scoring Czech player in Premier League history.
Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen combined for the goal (Image: West Ham United FC/West Ham United FC, Getty Images)
3. Casemiro is sent off after violating VAR
The Red Devils responded well to West Ham’s early goal and looked to be level just after the hour mark. Koby Mainu delivered a superb cross that allowed Casemiro to rush into the penalty area and calmly head the ball past Mads Hermansen and into the path of Wan-Bissaka.
But from Casemiro’s reaction, he knew what was going to happen. A VAR check confirmed that the match was offside, and the game ended at 1-0.
Casemiro seemed to have equalized with a header (Image: Izzy Poles – AMA/Getty Images)
4. Maguire’s concerns about Carrick
Never sidelined under Ruben Amorim, Harry Maguire’s return from injury coincided with Carrick’s appointment and gave him new life. Having looked intimidating for most of the past five games, there was a worrying moment in the first half when the 32-year-old went into a tackle and came out clutching his hamstring.
Maguire was able to continue playing until coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute alongside an ineffective Matheus Cunha, and was also seen chatting with staff. Lenny Yolo and Benjamin Sesco were sent on, Callum Wilson came on for Valentin Castellanos and Nuno was also substituted.
Harry Maguire suffered a hamstring strain in the first half (Image: James Fearn/Getty Images)
5. Sesco is a hero again
After scoring the winner against Fulham two games ago, Sesco was once again the Red Devils’ savior – and this time in style. West Ham had several chances to end the game as Carrick threw it into the kitchen sink.
Irons then regretted their careless finish when Mbeumo’s cross was met by Sesco at the near post and curled into the top right corner. Carrick’s winning streak is over, but his honeymoon at Everton could last for almost two more weeks.
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