Sesko rescues United, Villa beaten by Brentford
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MANCHESTER: Benjamin Sesko rode to Manchester United’s rescue in another thrilling 3-2 win for Michael Carrick’s men over Fulham on Sunday, as Aston Villa’s Premier League title challenge faltered in defeat to 10-man Brentford.
A third consecutive win since Carrick took the reins at Old Trafford propelled United back into the top four at the expense of Chelsea and Liverpool.
A week on from a 3-2 win at Arsenal, it was another throwback to United’s glory days during Carrick’s playing career as they snatched victory in dramatic fashion after a Fulham fightback.
Casemiro opened the scoring from Bruno Fernandes’ free-kick to give United the perfect start on 19 minutes.
The Brazilian then turned provider for United’s second but Matheus Cunha still had plenty to do before lashing high beyond Bernd Leno.
Just a second defeat in nine league games dealt a blow to Fulham’s own hopes of European football next season.
The visitors showed plenty of fight as Raul Jimenez’s penalty halved the deficit five minutes from time before Kevin’s spectacular strike looked to have salvaged a point.
But United went straight down the other end and Sesko spun onto Fernandes’ pass before blasting into the top corner.
Meanwhile, Villa were hoping to move back within four points of Arsenal at the top of the table, but their unlikely bid for a first league title since 1981 faltered in a second consecutive 1-0 home defeat.
Brentford inflicted a huge blow on Unai Emery’s men despite playing more than half the game a man down.
Kevin Schade was sent off for kicking out at Matty Cash on 42 minutes.
But in first-half stoppage time, the Bees took the lead when Dango Ouattara blasted in from a narrow angle.
Villa laid seige to the Brentford goal after the break but lacked the invention to break the visitors down.
Tammy Abraham did have the ball in the net but was denied a debut goal on his return to Villa after a VAR review found the ball had gone out of play in the build-up.
Elsewhere, Crystal Palace also failed to make the most of a man advantage amid fears of being dragged into a relegation battle in a 1-1 draw at Nottingham Forest.
Morgan Gibbs-White’s early strike put Forest in front, but Neco Williams’ decision to punch the ball clear off his own goal-line just before half-time was the break the visitors needed.
Ismaila Sarr netted from the penalty spot after Williams was shown a red card.
However, Palace failed to end their 12-game wait for a win and remain just three points above Forest and nine clear of the bottom three.
In Saturday’s late matches, Liverpool crushed Newcastle United 4-1 while Chelsea, fourth, battled back from two goals down to beat West Ham United 3-2 in a feisty London derby.
Liverpool are a point behind Chelsea in fifth after their first league victory in more than a month.
West Ham, mired in the relegation zone, capitalised on a sloppy first half from Chelsea, taking a seventh-minute lead when Jarrod Bowen’s cross drifted in at the far post, and they doubled their advantage half an hour later through Crysencio Summerville.
Boos rang around Stamford Bridge at the break, but manager Liam Rosenior then made three changes, and they paid immediate dividends.
Substitutes Joao Pedro and Marc Cucurella lifted the hosts back into the match before the Blues completed their comeback in stoppage time when Enzo Fernandez ghosted into the box to meet a Joao Pedro pass and seal a dramatic turnaround.
At Anfield, Newcastle started briskly and Anthony Gordon put the visitors ahead in the 36th minute.
Hugo Ekitike turned the game on its head, however, with goals in the 41st and 43rd minutes, scoring his first with a stab home at the near post.
Florian Wirtz struck in the 67th minute and Ibrahima Konate, who was back after missing two games to attend his father’s funeral, scored deep into stoppage time to complete the rout.
Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2026
