Benjamin Sesko’s super sub role continued with aplomb here as he came off the bench to secure all three points for Manchester United at Everton.
The Slovenian’s second half goal means that Michael Carrick’s unbeaten run as coach, since coming in to replace Ruben Amorim, stretches to six games, with five wins and a draw.
Everton did plenty of good work in this less-than-thrilling 1-0 defeat but David Moyes was let down by his side’s lack of creativity in attack.
Daily Mail Sport’s NATHAN SALT was at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to run the rule over the two sides…
Benjamin Sesko (left) once again saved Manchester United with a winning goal off the bench
Jordan Pickford – 7
Still looks every bit England’s No 1 and can have few complaints about the goal he did go on to concede. His distribution was good here, only to be let down by his attackers on the other end of it. Thomas Tuchel was no doubt watching excited at those long balls to start attacks for the World Cup this summer.
James Garner – 7
Shifted to right back, the central midfielder held his own and produced another impressive display in what was been an impressive campaign to date. United’s lack of threat down the left, coupled with his comfort in both attacking and defending, meant he got to do pretty much whatever he wanted to. Tying him down to a new deal looks better by the day.
Michael Keane – 6
First half was meat and drink for the former United defender with the visitors’ pace not being put to use and their long balls easily cleared by his head. Switched off when Everton attacked and lost sight of a sprinting Bryan Mbeumo which was a recipe for disaster when he played in Benjamin Sesko to score. Did a lot right but the mistake he made was a costly one.
James Tarkowski – 6
Found himself at the heart of everything, whether it was clearing Amad’s effort off the line in the fourth minute, or leading the second half set-piece scrum that almost engulfed Senne Lammens. Incredibly physical… and as such very fortunate that Darren England was such a forgiving referee. Booked.
James Tarkowski was incredibly physical and fortunate the referee was so lenient with him
Jarrad Branthwaite – 6.5
Should have been targeted a lot more by United given he’s a centre back that was playing at left back. But thankfully for Branthwaite, United didn’t have a great deal of interest in trying to isolate a player making only his third Premier League start of the season.
Idrissa Gueye – 7
Much better than the last outing in this fixture when he got sent off for having a swipe at his own team-mate. Despite that low bar from Everton’s win at Old Trafford, Gueye was front-footed, industrious and won a lot more than he lost in the midfield battle.
Tim Iroegbunam – 6.5
Really physical and he unsettled Kobbie Mainoo on the night, which he deserves credit for. Didn’t manage to progress the ball into forward areas enough to hurt United, though.
Iliman Ndiaye – 6
Has so much star quality but didn’t manage to get the better of Luke Shaw, who should have been turned inside and out by him. Looked as frustrated as anyone at the lack of end product from the Toffees here.
Iliman Ndiaye (left) didn’t do enough to trouble Luke Shaw (right) in their right-sided match-up
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall – 5
Felt like he drifted through a game that was crying out for a creative spark, particularly from those in blue. There’s a good player there but you can’t go missing in games like this.
Harrison Armstrong – 6
Not lacking in confidence despite being relatively wet behind the ears for nights like these after starting the campaign playing in the Championship. Had one of Everton’s best chances on the night but snatched at it and didn’t generate any power towards Senne Lammens.
Thierno Barry – 5
Never looked capable of physically competing with Harry Maguire as a lone frontman. He’s young and should improve but it spoke volumes that he kept going out wide to get the ball.
MANAGER: David Moyes – 6.5
Will be pleased with his side’s spirit, more so than their application, on the night. Crying out for a competent centre forward to stitch this whole project together.
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1)
Senne Lammens – 7
Made a big save 25 seconds into the second half to deny Harrison Armstrong in the area but on the whole he didn’t have a whole lot to do. Made one mistake in the opening moments of the match but was largely untroubled thereafter.
Diogo Dalot – 7
United’s best player for most of a really flat evening. Actually tried to make attacking passes and actually tried to run at people. Was being used as a messenger by Carrick for tactical tweaks, too. Went a whisker wide with a 25-yard volley half-hour in. Deserved better from those around him.
Diogo Dalot was United’s best player for a lot of this match mainly because he was ambitious
Harry Maguire – 7
Made light work of Thierno Barry in one of his most one-sided physical match-ups that he’ll have all season. Was not able to be the set-piece threat at the other end due to a lack of opportunities but hard to pick any bones out of his defensive work. Another performance that suggests a new contract is a good idea, not a bad one.
Leny Yoro – 6
Making his fourth Premier League start since November, and on the same day news of a six-month driving ban was announced, the French youngster started a tad rusty before the flow of the game settled down. Not helped out by team-mates consistently putting him in dangerous positions with terrible passes. Booked.
Luke Shaw – 6.5
Had the toughest assignment of the evening trying to keep Iliman Ndiaye quiet but, by and large, he did a decent job. Shaw is what he is now, a solid defender that hasn’t got the athleticism to go up and down the pitch like he did in his younger days. Feeds into the overall lack of balance down that side but defensively he was sound.
Casemiro – 6
Neat, tidy, but a very low key outing on his birthday which, for a defensive midfielder, isn’t the worst thing in the world.
Kobbie Mainoo – 5.5
Odd to see a player as good as him have such slow decision making here. Too often found himself caught in possession, and losing the ball at costly moments to both Gueye and Iroegbunam. Went down a blind alley so many times.
Kobbie Mainoo was surprisingly slow in decision making in a tough night in the midfield for him
Amad – 5
Went closest for United when he had one cleared off the line and interestingly he took up a lot more central positions than he did against West Ham. But given his direct opponent was a centre back at left back, this felt like a huge opportunity wasted for the Ivorian. Hooked before the hour.
Bruno Fernandes – 6
Barked plenty of orders at his team-mates and played a delicious chipped pass out to the left to start the move that ended with Tarkowski clearing Amad’s shot off the line. But it felt like this was a night where he spent more time arguing with officials than creating chances. Given his lofty standards, a real off night.
Matheus Cunha – 6
A top player that’s being platformed wrong when deployed on the left wing. Can be so devastating when driving with the ball in central areas but he’s not the one-on-one dribbler that Amad can be and it throws the balance of the side off. Still deserves immense amount of credit for the cross-field switch that set Mbeumo free for the opening goal.
Bryan Mbeumo – 6.5
Was here, there, and everywhere in this fluid attacking system. Blazed over from about two yards out at the back post after Mainoo’s cross deflected into the air by Tarkowski. Not having a defined position is hurting United’s top scorer this season, not helping him. He benefitted immensely when Sesko came on and he could go back to being a winger… cue the assist for the United goal. Not rocket science.
Bryan Mbeumo was much better when out on the right, which gives Michael Carrick an issue
HEAD COACH: Michael Carrick – 7
Deserves credit for being bold enough to bring Sesko on before the hour mark as it was clear for everyone to see it wasn’t working. His fluid attacking system isn’t functioning away from home and he’s going to have to re-tune his XI for matches like this one and the one at West Ham last time out. Another valuable learning curve that didn’t end in defeat.
SUBS
Benjamin Sesko (for Amad, 58) – 7.5
Third time he’s come off the bench to bail United out in what was his sixth goal in seven games. What more does he have to do to start games? Becoming harder for Carrick to justify.
