Benjamin Sesko insists Manchester United have proved they are ready to fight for a Champions League place after the Slovenian striker snatched a dramatic point at West Ham.

Introduced as a 69th-minute substitute at the London Stadium with United trailing to Tomás Soucek’s close-range finish just after the interval, Sesko was tasked with rescuing a game that had drifted away from Michael Carrick’s side. West Ham, compact and disciplined, repeatedly threatened on the counterattack while United struggled to break them down.

As the match ticked deep into stoppage time, United’s four-game winning run under their interim manager looked set to end. Then, with 96 minutes played, Bryan Mbeumo found space on the flank and whipped in a teasing cross. Sesko darted across his marker and stretched out a toe, guiding a deft volley high into the net to secure a 1-1 draw and silence the home crowd.

“It was just one of those games that was not going to be that easy because they were stepping back, really compact, trying to go for counter-attacks,” Sesko told the club’s in-house channel after the match. “It’s something we have to learn from. I think everyone wanted it, everyone was trying to win the game, to score, to fight for each other.”

United’s late equaliser preserved their place in fourth, keeping them firmly in contention for a return to the Champions League, an ambition that had seemed remote only weeks earlier under former manager Ruben Amorim.

“Unfortunately that didn’t happen, but at least we got a draw, which is important in the end,” Sesko said. “I felt amazing because at least I know that, once again, I could help the team by trying to secure at least one point.”

The forward stressed that his impact was a product of collective effort rather than individual brilliance. “It’s a great feeling for me as well knowing that I can help the team in all kinds of moments. Obviously without my teammates, I couldn’t do it. So I’m looking forward to more moments like this.”

For Sesko, the late goal was more than a highlight reel moment; it was a statement of intent. “We are living for each other,” he added. “We are doing everything to win the games, to secure the Champions League spot because we believe that we have the team for it. We have the quality and we’re going to fight towards it. We have to look forward to the next game and try to win it.”