Benjamin Sesko scored a stoppage-time winner as Manchester United made it three wins in a row under Michael Carrick in a Premier League thriller with Fulham at Old Trafford.

In a match preceded by a protest attended by 500-600 fans, according to police sources, United seemed to be cruising to victory as Brazilian duo Casemiro and Matheus Cunha put them two up with goals either side of half-time.

But after Raul Jimenez pulled one back five minutes from time with a brilliant penalty into the roof of the home net, Kevin looked to have snatched a point with a thunderous strike to the top corner.

However, in nine minutes of time added on mainly due to two lengthy VAR checks that resulted in United having a penalty overturned and Fulham a goal disallowed, Sesko turned on to a Bruno Fernandes pass and drilled a shot into the top corner.

It took Ruben Amorim 36 Premier League games to win three in a row as United chief, his only sequence of successive victories.

Carrick has taken just three and was serenaded by the home supporters as his side went back into the Premier League’s top four.

There are some parts of football games that are best to watch to work out what actually happened.

This dramatic, switchback Premier League thriller is worth watching from the 85th minute onwards.

At that point, United and their fans thought they had won.

Casemiro had put the hosts in front after a bizarre period of play. The home side were initially awarded a penalty by referee John Brooks for a Jorge Cuenca foul on Cunha. However, VAR James Bell overturned it as the final contact was outside the area.

Bruno Fernandes floated the free-kick to the far post and Casemiro headed home.

Casemiro then turned provider 11 minutes after half-time as he threaded a pass through the Fulham defence to Cunha, who smashed home United’s second.

But the consequences of the initial VAR check – and the one that ruled out Jorge Cuenca’s second-half effort, which took so long both sets of supporters chanted against the system and drew an irritated reaction from Cottagers boss Marco Silva, was yet to be fully felt.

Jimenez delayed and delayed his penalty after he had been upended by Harry Maguire but eventually sent it right into the roof of the net.

Nine minutes injury-time was shown, which meant as Fulham celebrated Kevin’s brutal strike, Carrick and his players knew there was still time to respond.

So much has been mentioned recently about supposed ‘United DNA’. It is a difficult concept to define but, in historical terms, scoring very late goals must be part of it.

And, with an old boy in the dug-out, so an old-style finish came to pass.

Sesko kept his cool as he controlled Fernandes’ cross and turned in the area before taking advantage of Fulham’s failure to get to him quickly enough.

Fulham analysis: Late transfer business not helping Silva

Fulham head into deadline day with doubts over playmaker Harry Wilson, who again excelled even though he ended up on the losing side.

Oscar Bobb is yet to make his debut following his £27m move from Manchester City but will be in contention for next weekend’s encounter with Everton.

It must be a frustration for Silva, who has developed an excellent squad but may find they fall just short of a place in Europe because of a repeated failure to execute transfer deals quickly enough.

Silva clearly was not happy at Cuenca’s goal being disallowed. It is impossible to say what would have happened had Fulham scored earlier in the game than they did.

As it was, they do at least have the memory of Kevin’s effort and also that of Jimenez, who seemed to defy all logic of penalty-taking given the number of times he checked his run-up, waiting in vain for Senne Lammens to commit himself, before eventually aiming for the highest part of the goal.

Pre-match protest

Police estimate between 500 and 600 fans took part in the planned pre-match demonstration against United’s ownership.

This was a long way below the figure the 1958 United fans group said they expected to be present.

It was colourful and noisy though and it was clear from chants inside the stadium, which are repeated every time United play, many have no affection for either the Glazer family or Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who become a minority shareholder in 2024 and is effectively responsible for running the club.

The expense involved In hiring Dan Ashworth as technical director and then getting rid of him after five months, the decision to keep, then sack Erik ten Hag, and then hire and sack Ruben Amorim is proof Ratcliffe has not got everything right.

However, Cunha and Sesko are both part of a recruitment campaign over the last 12 months that is much improved on what has gone before.

Nevertheless, fan sentiment runs deep.

“Does he intend on buying the Glazers out?” said 1958 Group spokesman Steve Crompton. “I don’t think so. I don’t think the money’s there to do it.

“So, is this just going to be a match made in heaven as far as he’s concerned?

“They’re pushing ahead with the vanity project of this new stadium, the ticket prices are going up and the rules around them are becoming more and more stringent. The traditional fans are just getting priced out.

“Everything’s just a mess.”

What comes next?

Manchester United are next in action against Tottenham, also at Old Trafford, on Saturday, 7 February (12:30 GMT). Fulham also play on Saturday, 7 February, against Everton at Craven Cottage (15:00 GMT). (BBC)

•Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko celebrates scoring the side’s third goal with Kobbie Mainoo. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

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