On Tuesday, February 24th, 2026, Manchester United extended their exemplary showing for 2026 by defeating Everton 1-0 in an entertaining Premier League contest at Hill Dickinson Stadium, Liverpool.
In a tight, tactical battle between two teams vying for success, Manchester United found their winner through Benjamin Šeško; an invaluable goal in their ongoing quest for Champions League Qualification.
While this was by no means an attractive contest, Manchester United displayed the composure and tenacity that would be anticipated from a side competing within the top four; managing the match meticulously and successfully given the level of pressure from Everton's supporters.
Cunha–Mbeumo–Šeško: A Goal Built on Smart Recruitment
The game turned midway through the second half, showing exactly what the club aimed for in the summer. Matheus Cunha made a great long pass. It cut through Everton's defense and found Bryan Mbeumo with room to move. The attacker from Cameroon took off, then passed the ball low across the goal.
Benjamin Šeško was quick. He got to the ball before James Tarkowski and easily scored against Jordan Pickford. It seemed like a simple score, but it came from speed, movement, and knowing where to be qualities Manchester United has shown more and more lately.
Carrick’s Belief Paying Dividends
In the post, match conference, interim boss Michael Carrick did not waste time praising his recent signings' influence on the team.
Talking to ESPN, Carrick underlined the fact that player personality and character have been equally as important as technical ability in the current season.
"The new players have played a big role for us. Their character and personality are important attributes, especially when playing at a club of this stature," Carrick explained.
He also admitted that the team doesn't always have to play attractive football to get the win and used the commitment and work rate of the players against Everton as an example.
Carrick had good things to say about Benjamin Šeško, who scored the goal, even though he doesn't always start. The United coach said it's important to be patient with how the striker is improving.
“Ben is in a good phase. We’ve spoken about patience and his development process. He will be an important player for us in the long term,” Carrick said.
The 22-year-old is getting more confident when he shoots, which gives United a dependable choice for scoring, both now and later.
Even though the goal got a lot of attention, Carrick was also happy with how well his team defended. Senne Lammens, the young goalie from Belgium, stayed calm and made some big saves near the end to stop Michael Keane and Tyrique George when Everton was trying to tie the game.
“A clean sheet is just as important as a goal,” Carrick said. “We needed a collective performance to deal with Everton’s pressure, and the players delivered.” United's strong defense was a big reason they were able to keep their small lead.
Premier League Table Boost and Managerial Implications
This victory sees Manchester United climb to 4th position in the Premier League table, placing them ahead of both Chelsea and Liverpool in what is turning out to be a highly competitive race for the top 4 spots.
The success also allows United to maintain their unbeaten run in the year 2026 to six games – five wins and a draw – giving Carrick additional support for the position of permanent manager.
That said, this season has had its fair share of difficulties and the expectations around Old Trafford remain enormous. Manchester United will, however, need to make critical choices during the summer transfer window despite their current strong performance.
The expected departure of Casemiro, at the conclusion of the season, puts Manchester United back into player acquisition mode looking for a central Midfielder again. Therefore, it becomes vitally important that Manchester United continues to conduct their recruitment with great care and attention.
For the time being, however, all appears to be positive. With players like Cunha, Mbeumo, Šeško, and Lammens adding substantial contributions to the team, the Manchester United fanbase has good reasons to believe the direction of the team will improve as Manchester United embarks on the critical portion of the current campaign.
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