Benjamin Sesko’s stoppage-time winner spared Manchester United’s blushes as they saw off a late Fulham comeback to win 3-2 at Old Trafford.
Man Utd substitute Sesko had headed against the woodwork from close range with his side leading 2-0 on Sunday, and that miss almost came back to bite the hosts.
Raul Jimenez scored an 85th-minute penalty, before Kevin’s stunning strike made it 2-2 soon after.
Fulham’s spirited response came after Casemiro headed Man Utd in front in the 19th minute, from a Bruno Fernandes free-kick, and then sensationally teed up Matheus Cunha to double the home side's lead early in the second half.
Yet in the fourth minute of a frantic period of stoppage time, Fernandes set up Sesko to dispatch a fine finish high into the net to make it three wins from three under Michael Carrick, as Man Utd moved into fourth place, while Fulham drop to eighth.
How the match unfolded
Amad forced Bernd Leno into action inside five minutes, and Man Utd's bright start seemed to have been rewarded when a penalty was given for Jorge Cuenca’s tug on Cunha.
However, a VAR review determined that Cuenca had actually pulled Cunha back outside of the area. But Fulham’s reprieve was short-lived, with Casemiro heading in Fernandes’ cross from the resulting free-kick.
Harry Maguire and Bryan Mbeumo went close either side of half-time before Man Utd scored their second goal – Casemiro turning provider with a no-look pass from which Cunha arrowed home in the 56th minute.
Fulham thought they had pulled one back nine minutes later when Samuel Chukwueze's shot deflected kindly for Cuenca to convert, but the Nigerian was adjudged to be offside after a VAR review.
Sesko headed against a post a minute after replacing Cunha, though just as Man Utd seemed to be cruising towards victory, Maguire slid in desperately on Jimenez, who lifted the resulting spot-kick into the top-left corner.
Kevin’s fantastic first Premier League goal in the 91st minute looked set to frustrate Man Utd, but there was one more twist, with Sesko receiving Fernandes’ centre and brilliantly drilling home.
Casemiro’s touch of class
Casemiro arrived at Man Utd in 2022 as one of the world’s best central midfielders, though it would be safe to say the Brazilian has had his fair share of critics during his time at Old Trafford.
The 33-year-old will be leaving at the end of the season, but he showed what he is still capable of with a fantastic all-round performance, capped off with a goal and an assist.
Casemiro was picked out brilliantly by Fernandes for Man Utd's opener, though he still had to ensure he directed his header beyond Leno, while his pass for Cunha's goal was a thing of beauty, perfectly weighted for his fellow Brazilian to unleash a strike without breaking stride.
Playing in a deeper role alongside Kobbie Mainoo, Casemiro was dominant before he made way for Manuel Ugarte in the 75th minute, and it was from there that Man Utd ceded control.
Although Casemiro’s future is already settled, Carrick’s will not be until further on in the campaign. Regardless, he has made a great start as Man Utd's head coach.
While he has been keen to quash any talk of a permanent appointment, Carrick has already matched Ruben Amorim’s longest winning streak as Man Utd boss.
It ended up coming the hard way, in stoppage time, but Man Utd – who host Tottenham Hotspur next – showed the kind of resilience they will need in the top-four race.
Jimenez stays spot on but Fulham fall short
Fulham went into this match aiming to keep within touching distance of the top six, and Marco Silva’s men seemed set to be celebrating a fantastic comeback when Kevin curled in his exquisite equaliser.
Silva will feel Fulham’s fightback had been coming, though. They had their moments in the first half and were the better side once Casemiro went off, having already seen Cuenca’s goal ruled out for a marginal offside.
Jimenez – on his 100th Fulham appearance – sparked their revival, drawing Maguire’s ill-timed lunge and then coolly dispatching his spot-kick.
The former Wolverhampton Wanderers forward has now converted all 12 of his Premier League penalties, which is the best 100-per-cent scoring record in the competition, surpassing Yaya Toure's 11 perfect spot-kicks.
Kevin then displayed his talent to finally break his Premier League duck, beautifully slamming into the top-right corner from the edge of the area, but Silva was left seething at his defence as they switched off just three minutes later.
Watch: Kevin's stunning first PL goal
Kevin's first #PL goal. 🚀 pic.twitter.com/6HMRa9z2cb
— Fulham Football Club (@FulhamFC) February 1, 2026
Fulham are still in the top eight, and next week’s match against ninth-place Everton may well be decisive if the Cottagers are going to push on from a congested mid-table to challenge for European qualification.
Club reports
Man Utd report | Fulham report
What the managers said
Michael Carrick: “We knew today was going to be a really tough game. I've been getting questions all week, breaking down a low block, beating teams that we're supposed to beat. It was never the case today as Fulham are a really good, good team. I knew we were going to have a lot of questions to answer.”
Marco Silva: “I really believe that we deserved much more from the game in terms of result, but football is like that. But great performance from ourselves, our second half was incredibly good.”
Next five PL fixtures
Key facts
Sesko scored Man Utd's second 90th-minute winning goal in a Premier League home match this season (after Fernandes v Burnley in August), as many as the club netted in 2022/23 (none), 2023/24 (one), and 2024/25 (one) combined.
Man Utd have won all seven of their Premier League games in which they have had less than 45 per cent possession this season (42.4 per cent v Fulham today). By contrast, they have won just four of 17 league games when having 45 per cent or more possession in 2025/26 (D8 L5).
Only Wolves (nine), Brentford (eight) and Burnley (eight) have lost more away games in the Premier League this season than Fulham (seven). It’s as many times as the Cottagers lost on the road in the whole of last season’s competition.