Fulham
Šeško: Manchester United’s Work-Rate ‘Definitely Different’ Since Carrick Took Charge
Šeško: United’s work-rate ‘definitely different’ under Carrick, raising questions about Amorim. plus
Benjamin Šeško’s winner against Fulham came with a candid assessment of Manchester United’s collective effort under Michael Carrick. Asked by Sky Sports whether Carrick had urged the squad to enjoy playing for the club again, the 22-year-old said: “It’s true, he has said these things many times to the team. That’s exactly what we are doing.” He added that the change went beyond mood.
“But it’s not just that. You can see how much we work hard for each other without the ball and that also contributes to good results in the end. The work rate is definitely different. Everyone is on point and covering their spaces. In the end, that’s what counts.”
Šeško’s remarks pointed a critical light at his predecessor. The draft notes that Ruben Amorim was relieved of his duties at the start of January after reportedly falling out with the club’s upper hierarchy rather than the dressing room. The impression that players had begun to lose confidence in Amorim’s methods is underlined by the observation that Leeds United collectively ran more than 5km further than their Manchester counterparts in what proved to be Amorim’s final game.
Šeško did not dwell on the past. “The aim is to continue like this,” he insisted. “We want to focus on our work and what we have to do. We have [to] work hard like we are and focus in every moment. All of this is going to lead to great results.”
United took all three points and returned to the division’s top four, but Fulham’s manager made a forceful post-match point. “Top performance from ourselves. Second half, our team was better. The way we played and controlled the ball, they wanted to press us high but we never let them,” Marco Silva said.
Carrick reflected on Fulham’s quality in his own post-match comments: “I was well aware of what a good team Fulham are going into the game. I was getting questions thrown at me about teams sitting back here, but I knew it was never going to be like that today,” Carrick crowed post-match.
United have now won seven successive games while recording possession of 45% or below. When they have had more than 45% of the ball this season, they have four wins from 17 Premier League games, per Opta. The run raises the question of how United will fare against teams that invite them on and force sustained control, a tactical issue flagged ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to Old Trafford next Saturday.
Fulham
Gameweek 27 Standouts: Saves, Midfield Control and Match-Deciding Finishes
Gameweek 27 recap: saves, midfield control and attacking returns shaped key results across fixtures.
Gameweek 27 offered a mix of goalkeeping interventions, midfield control and clinical attacking moments that decided a number of fixtures.
Brighton secured a much-needed 2-0 victory over Brentford on Saturday with Bart Verbruggen prominent in goal. Verbruggen has again been linked with a blockbuster exit from Brighton & Hove Albion, and his performance underlined why. He made four saves and 11 recoveries as Brighton repelled sustained pressure en route to three points.
Manchester United’s summer recruit Senne Lammens provided a similar defensive platform in Monday’s 1-0 win over Everton. Tasked with providing a steady presence, Lammens matched Verbruggen’s totals of four saves and 11 recoveries. He came to life late on and a stunning reach to prevent Michael Keane’s long-range thunderbolt from nestling into his top corner was one of the key moments.
Manchester City’s control in the middle was driven by Rodri in a 2-1 win over Newcastle United. He registered the most touches (95) and completed the most passes (67) in the match. His influence also showed defensively with six recoveries, four clearances and a game-high five tackles.
Nico O’Reilly stole some of the spotlight with a two-goal haul from a more advanced role on the left wing. The 20-year-old’s versatility was evident and the performance has ignited calls for a spot in England’s World Cup squad.
Fulham recorded a 3-1 victory over Sunderland with several strong contributions. Calvin Bassey and Harry Wilson narrowly missed out on a place in this round-up, while Alex Iwobi stood out. His excellent corner set up Fulham’s opening goal and he wrapped up the win with a composed finish from a narrow angle.
Raúl Jiménez led the line for Fulham against Sunderland with two goals. He rose highest to head home Iwobi’s corner and converted from the penalty spot as Sunderland’s pressure built, also enjoying physical battles with Omar Alderete and Dan Ballard.
Cherries goalkeeper Đorđe Petrović was key in Bournemouth’s 0-0 draw with West Ham United. Just three of West Ham’s 20 shots were on target and Petrović produced several reaction saves to keep the match goalless.
Eberechi Eze just loves playing Tottenham Hotspur. Restored to attacking midfield, he scored twice and created two chances in a 4-1 win that helped reignite Arsenal’s title charge.
Fulham
City Close Gap as Dias Helps Secure 3-0 Win Over Fulham
City cut Arsenal’s lead to three points after a 3-0 win; Dias returned, clean sheet felt decisively.
Manchester City reduced Arsenal’s lead at the top to three points with a 3-0 victory over Fulham, a result that arrives before Arsenal’s next game on Thursday. The opener came from Antoine Semenyo after a cross from Matheus Nunes created the breakthrough. Six minutes later Nico O’Reilly applied a composed finish to a sweeping team move that started deep in City territory; the referee allowed the advantage to unfold when Erling Haaland was fouled in the buildup.
Haaland added the third before half-time, powering a finish beyond Bernd Leno after Rayan Aït-Nouri won the ball near the halfway line and Phil Foden played it into the Norwegian’s path. The second half saw Fulham threaten on a couple of occasions, but there was a sense that any comeback would be too late and the game fizzled out.
Rúben Dias started his first game in just over a month and his return was notable for the title race. He was last named in the XI for the 1–1 draw against Chelsea on Jan. 4 and was forcibly withdrawn shortly before City conceded the very late equaliser in that setback. Dias made a comeback off the bench against Liverpool at the weekend, but during his absence the side recorded just three clean sheets in 10 games without the 2020–21 FWA Footballer of the Year. Keeping a clean sheet on his proper return feels like a turning point.
There were questions elsewhere in defence. With no disrespect to Abdukodir Khusanov, it has not been easy on the talented 21-year-old in 2026. He is still raw himself, but has had to either be Nathan Aké’s legs or the senior man next to Max Alleyne. Marc Guéhi is still learning his new surroundings, too.
Notable performers included Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matheus Nunes, Rúben Dias, Marc Guéhi, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Nico O’Reilly, Antoine Semenyo, Erling Haaland and Phil Foden. Match statistics showed City 56% possession to Fulham 44%, expected goals 1.47 to 1.50, total shots 13 to 14 and passing accuracy 91% to 85%.
Bournemouth
January 2026 Premier League Player and Manager of the Month Shortlist
January 2026 Player and Manager of the Month nominees: full shortlist and key form lines. Full recap
The Premier League has published its January 2026 shortlists for Player and Manager of the Month.
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Yasin Ayari is nominated after a productive month. The 22-year-old contributed to a goal in each of his four games across January, recording two goals and two assists.
Michael Carrick is included among the managerial nominees after a perfect start as Manchester United’s interim manager. Patrick Dorgu is cited as a key inspiration. Playing as a winger, he scored against both Arsenal and Manchester City, adding to an assist in Darren Fletcher’s league game as caretaker. Carrick oversaw two matches in January, both ending in victories over Manchester City and Arsenal.
Chelsea vice-captain Enzo Fernández featured in January’s goals, popping up at crucial moments for Liam Rosenior. Stoppage-time strikes against Manchester City and West Ham United were headline moments in a month which included a total of three goals and an assist.
Crysencio Summerville’s run also caught attention. Fernández’s late strike against West Ham United broke the heart of one of the game’s earlier scorers, Crysencio Summerville. Entering January, the Dutch winger had not scored in the Premier League since October 2024, but he now has three in his last three outings after netting against Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Sunderland.
Brentford striker Igor Thiago added five goals in January, with a hat-trick against Everton and a brace versus Sunderland, and he seeks to become the first player to win the prize twice this season. Harry Wilson makes the shortlist again after goals against Chelsea, Brighton and Liverpool while approaching the end of his contract. Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz earns a first nomination after a return of three goals and an assist in a month that produced just one win in six for Liverpool.
On the managerial side, Nottingham Forest began to recover under Sean Dyche, turning four straight defeats into two wins and a draw from four fixtures, losing only to Aston Villa. Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola ended an 11-game winless run when his side beat Tottenham Hotspur 3–2, with Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers also beaten by the Cherries. Chelsea newcomer Liam Rosenior receives his first nomination after winning all three of his Premier League outings in January, seeing off Brentford, Crystal Palace and West Ham to become the fourth English manager to win their first three Premier League games.
