Sesko wins it late for Manchester United after Fulham fightback at Old Trafford
Benjamin Sesko scores the late winner. Pic: Martin Rickett/PA
Roy Keane won't agree, but Michael Carrick is building a compelling case for his return to Manchester United to stretch beyond the end of the season.
If victories over Manchester City and Arsenal weren't enough to convince Keane that Carrick's appointment as head coach should be nothing more than a marriage of convenience until the summer, then the sight of substitute Benjamin Sesko scoring an injury-time winner at Stretford End must have surely planted a seed of doubt in the Irishman's mind.
After all, don't moments like these encapsulate perfectly what's meant by United DNA?
An afternoon apparently made comfortable by goals from Brazilian duo Casemiro and Matheus Cunha turned in the blink of an eye when Raul Jimenez's 85th-minute penalty and an injury-time wonder-strike by substitute Kevin brought Marco Silva's side level.
But Fulham paid the price for giving Bruno Fernandes too much space wide on the right. The United captain had already set-up the opening goal for Casemiro - and he produced a low cross for Sesko to conjure up the kind of finish that will start to justify his £73.7million price-tag.
The victory moved United back above Liverpool and into the top four on an afternoon when a pre-match protest about the ownership alliance of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and the Glazer family illustrated that fans are still as angry about goings-on off the pitch as they are thrilled about the impact brought about by Carrick's return.
"It is the best feeling," said Carrick. "Some of the best games I have been lucky to be part of have come from moments like that. You can dissect the performance, but a moment of excitement like that here, there is no better place.
"It ends up meaning more. Fans aren't just going home saying 'United have won.' It's why we all love it so much. The excitement is part of this club.
"It's slightly different when you're the manager to when you're in the thick of it as a player. I knew there was still eight minutes of injury-time to go when Fulham equalised. I was still positive we would find a moment."
United were rewarded for a positive opening in the 19th minute. But it was a goal that angered Silva - and little wonder.
Fulham defender Jorge Cuenca tangled with Matheus Cunha as the Brazilian burst towards the visitors' box, first grabbing a fistful of his shirt and then sliding in to take the ball off the striker's toes.
When referee John Brooks pointed to the spot, the visitors were apoplectic. When VAR James Bell informed Brooks that Cuenca had released Cunha's shirt before he had entered the penalty area and had then clearly produced a fair tackle, the official opted to punish the first offence.
When Bruno Fernandes served up a delicious free-kick from the right for the leaping Casemiro to head home, Silva was booked for voicing his protest.
"The penalty was given for the tackle," said the Fulham coach. "Afterwards, because the decision was so bad, they found a different foul so that they could give a free-kick.
"I feel my players and I feel our fans, but we have to respect and the people in charge. I know why the penalty was given. VAR went in a completely different direction to find something to find a free-kick that was not the reason why the penalty was given.
"I didn't speak to the referee because I don't want get more cards. I want to be on the touchline."
When United doubled their lead in the 56th minute there was no doubting the quality of Cunha's finish.
Casemiro was the provider, looking in one direction to fool the Fulham defence and then finding Cunha with a perfectly weighted pass that enabled his fellow Brazilian to defy a tight angle by thrashing a right-foot drive high into the roof of the net.
Sesko hit the inside of the post seconds after coming off the bench before Fulham finally started to find some space to prosper after Casemiro had been replaced by Manuel Ugarte.
When Jimenez was wiped out by Harry Maguire's late challenge, the Mexican picked himself up to beat Senne Lammens from the spot with five minutes remaining. When nine minutes of injury-time was announced the jeers spoke volumes.
When Kevin duly conjured up another flash of Brazilian brilliance by cutting inside Ugarte to find the top corner with a stunning strike from 25 yards, it seemed like Carrick's honeymoon period was over.
But then came Sesko's late intervention.
"It was a huge moment for him," said Carrick. "Everyone at the club is so pleased for him and the reception he got when he came back into the dressing room at the end told us everything.
"Ben is a big talent. He has so many positive things. Today was a huge goal. To score a winner in front of the Stretford End is what you dream of."
Lammens; Dalot (Mazraoui 86), Maguire, Martinez, Shaw; Fernandes, Casemiro (Ugarte 75), Mainoo; Amad, Cunha (Sesko 74), Mbeumo (Yoro 90).
Leno; Castagne, Andersen, Cuenca (Bassey 86), Robinson (Sessegnon 71); Iwobi, Berge, Smith-Rowe (Kevin 71); Wilson, Jimenez, Chukwueze (Cairney 79).
John Brooks.
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