The headlines will inevitably focus on Benjamin Šeško. Fans will replay his dramatic 94th-minute strike over and over again—the eruption inside the Stretford End, the sense of relief, the precious three points rescued at the death. On the surface, it looks like a story defined by one decisive moment.
But when the dust settles and the match is examined properly, a very different narrative begins to take shape.
According to Manchester United legend Paul Scholes, the real reason United won had little to do with the final goal and everything to do with the force that drove the team for the entire contest.
“He’s the reason we won that game, not the goal,” Scholes stated, deliberately shifting attention away from the obvious hero.
In doing so, he shone a light on the player who dominated the match long before Šeško applied the finishing touch—a player Scholes described as a true “United monster,” someone who controlled the battle where the game was truly decided.
That same figure, according to reports filtering out of Carrington, has already made an enormous impression behind the scenes.
His display was so authoritative that manager Michael Carrick is said to have told the club’s hierarchy earlier today that the player is now “completely undroppable.” It is a powerful endorsement, and one that speaks volumes about his growing importance.
Šeško may have delivered the decisive blow, but this midfield colossus supplied the energy, the balance, and the leadership that kept United alive when the match threatened to slip away.
On paper, his contribution reads simply: one goal and one assist. In reality, those numbers barely scratch the surface of his influence.
Commanding the Midfield Battlefield
Against a stubborn Fulham side that gained confidence as the second half wore on, United required more than flair or moments of inspiration.
They needed resilience, authority, and control. What they got was a complete midfield performance that touched every aspect of the game.
Tactically, he was outstanding—breaking up Fulham’s counterattacks, shielding the defense, and then driving forward to knit United’s play together.
Physically, he set the tone, winning challenges that seemed unwinnable and covering ground relentlessly, forcing teammates to rise to his level of intensity.
Perhaps most crucially, his leadership was unmistakable. When Fulham applied pressure, he became the team’s on-field commander—organizing, demanding more, and refusing to allow standards to drop.
He didn’t just react to the game; he shaped it, managing momentum when United needed calm and injecting aggression when they needed belief.
This was exactly the type of player the INEOS leadership promised to build around—a midfielder who doesn’t wait for big moments but actively engineers them.
Carrick’s Ultimate Vote of Trust
Michael Carrick’s reported verdict carries enormous weight. To label a player “completely undroppable” is to admit that the team’s structure and mentality depend on him. It goes beyond form or fitness; it signals total trust.
This player is no longer just part of the rotation—he is now the foundation of Carrick’s system, the one constant everything else revolves around.
A Vision Coming to Life
In many ways, this performance felt like the realization of a long-promised transformation. This was leadership reminiscent of a prime Roy Keane, expressed through modern intensity and tactical intelligence.
It was the philosophy behind the £180 million midfield rebuild brought to life in a single, dominant display.
Šeško’s goal will dominate the back pages. But within Old Trafford’s corridors of power, the real discussion centers on the unstoppable midfield force who made that moment possible—a player who didn’t just win a match, but may have defined a new era in the process.
