The entire Manchester United team stood up and applauded Shevchenko! His post-winning action revealed the reason for his breakthrough, proving that hard work pays off.

Following his match-winning goal against Fulham, Manchester United’s €85 million striker Benjamin Šeško celebrated this special moment by staying at Old Trafford to fulfill the substitute players’ post-match duty — additional training.

Half an hour after the match, the Theatre of Dreams had emptied out. Assistant coach Travis Binnion organized training for Šeško and the other substitutes under the stadium lights. Only a handful of fans and scattered security personnel remained on site with them.

For Šeško, who recently cut his hair short, this served as a reminder of the challenges ahead. Although he scored the winning goal in the 94th minute, making seventy thousand fans cheer for him, he has yet to secure a starting spot under caretaker manager Carrick and is still fighting to be a “super substitute.”

Before Carrick took charge, Šeško started six consecutive matches, scoring three goals in two games led by Darren Fletcher. However, afterward, he spent long periods on the bench, not playing a single minute in the derby against Manchester City and only featuring for 10 minutes against Arsenal as a substitute for the injured Patrick Doğu.

In the match against Fulham, Šeško received more playing time. He missed a chance to extend the lead to 3-0 with a header that hit the post. But in stoppage time, his heroic moment arrived: he controlled the ball and fired a shot that sent the West Stand into a frenzy.

Šeško told Sky Sports UK: “It’s unbelievable. Scoring at home, and a last-minute winner, it’s just incredible. I’ve always dreamed of moments like this, dreamed that I could achieve it. The whole team knew how important this result was. We’re in great form now and hope to keep working hard to win more games. I’m happy to help the team, and now we can continue our winning streak.”

Regarding what Carrick said to him and the teammates, Šeško explained that the coach encouraged everyone to play freely. He said, “He has told the team that several times, and that’s exactly what we did. But beyond that, you can see how we support each other off the ball, which ultimately led to a good result. Our efficiency has definitely improved, with everyone fulfilling their roles. In the end, that’s what matters most. Our goal is to maintain consistency, focus on our work and what needs to be done. We keep working hard like this, staying focused every moment, and that will bring fruitful outcomes.”

Coach Carrick revealed that when Šeško returned to the dressing room, he was greeted with a standing ovation from the entire team, reflecting their respect for him. British media confirmed that Šeško’s professionalism is unquestionable; he often competes with Diogo Dalot over who arrives earlier at Carrington for training!

“This is a very special moment, and I’m truly, truly happy for him. I believe everyone in the dressing room — players, coaches, and staff — feels immense joy for him. The warm welcome he received upon returning to the dressing room says it all,” Carrick said. “Honestly, he has always been confident. I think he performed very well. Over the past few weeks, we have trained with him in many different ways. He has been in great shape during training, looked threatening, and also did a lot of extra work. The coaches have provided additional guidance, especially Travis (Binnion), who has done a lot of one-on-one training with him.”

Carrick added, “Benjamin is a very talented player with many positive qualities. Today’s goal was very meaningful because, as a striker, scoring a winning goal in front of the West Stand for Manchester United is a dream come true. Also, after missing one chance, it’s always tough for a forward to miss another opportunity, but he seized the second chance. I’m really, really happy. He deserved that goal.”