LONDON, Feb 10 (Reuters) - Manchester United substitute Benjamin Sesko scored a 96th-minute equaliser to rescue a point for his side at relegation-threatened West Ham United in their 1-1 Premier League draw at the London Stadium on Tuesday.
United stay fourth with 45 points, while West Ham move to 24 points, also from 26 games, two points from the safety zone.
Tomas Soucek put West Ham ahead five minutes into the second half and it looked as though they would claim a precious win until Sesko’s clever finish deep in added time broke home hearts.
United's run of four successive wins came to an end as interim manager Michael Carrick dropped his first points in charge on what was a frustrating night for his Champions League-chasing side before Sesko’s late cameo.
"I think we were a little disappointed and we were definitely not at our best. I'm a little frustrated at that," Carrick told TNT Sports.
"It is a tough place to come and we didn't have that sharpness to find the answers. Great spirit again and we will take the point and move on."
West Ham's draw leaves several clubs nervously looking over their shoulders, not least 17th-placed Nottingham Forest (26 points) and Tottenham Hotspur (29), who lost 2-1 at home to Newcastle United, and will have celebrated Sesko’s equaliser.
United only had three shots on target in the entire game as West Ham did well to keep chances at a premium, but as the visitors dominated possession in the final 15 minutes there was a feeling of inevitability about the goal.
In a warning sign, another United substitute Joshua Zirkzee flashed a header inches wide just before the leveller.
West Ham had taken the lead when Soucek ghosted in to prod home from inside the six-yard box from Jarrod Bowen’s low cross.
United's Casemiro headed the ball into the net from Kobbie Mainoo’s cross but was offside and, as the visitors poured forward, West Ham wasted several chances to score a second on the break.
The equaliser came when Bryan Mbeumo fired a dangerous low ball into the box and Slovenian Sesko produced a superb volley.
"Credit to the boys for coming back again, it is a great trait to have in the team," Carrick said. "There are positives to take from it, you can't win every game, we certainly didn't want to come away from here without a point."
(Reporting by Nick Said; Editing by Toby Davis and Ken Ferris)
