West Ham surrendered a crucial Premier League win against Manchester United when Benjamin Sesko struck in the 96th minute, turning a vital victory into a 1-1 draw and deepening the tension around the relegation fight for Nuno Espirito Santo’s side at London Stadium.
Tomas Soucek had earlier put West Ham in front, and that goal seemed enough to move the team level on points with 17th-place Nottingham Forest. Instead, Sesko’s late first-time finish past Mads Hermansen denied those two extra points and extended a difficult season for West Ham.
Sesko’s equaliser came at 95:11, making it the latest goal on record at London Stadium to change a Premier League result for West Ham since detailed timings began in the 2006-07 season. The setback also means
West Ham have now lost 20 points from winning positions, more than any other top-flight club this campaign.
Nuno described the emotional impact of the draw in blunt terms after West Ham saw the victory slip away in added time. "Disappointed, all of us are to get this in the end. We had a good game, the boys worked hard, but it was not to be," Nuno told BBC Match of the Day. "It is a draw that gives us sadness, but the way we competed was really good. "
Nuno stressed that the performance still showed important signs of character despite the late blow for West Ham. "It is a mix of everythingthe need that we have and the work from the boys deserved so much more. We should be proud, and this is the way we must compete in every game like this. " Nuno added that standards inside the squad had to remain high.
"We should keep the standards, I said to the boys, and their faces are of a job well done. They hurt, and it is painful. You look back to the game, and it is always the final moments that you think you almost got across the line, but then get a big punch in the stomach. It is painful. "
Before Sesko’s late strike, West Ham created chances to extend the lead on the counter-attack against Manchester United. Callum Wilson led two dangerous breaks, with the first stopped by Leny Yoro’s recovery work, while Senne Lammens later blocked Wilson in a one-on-one situation shortly before the equaliser.
Across the match, West Ham finished with seven attempts worth 1.1 expected goals, and Manchester United recorded three shots on target. That statistical balance underlined how competitive West Ham were across both halves, despite the final outcome leaving Nuno and the players frustrated.
Nuno told TNT Sports that the level of performance from West Ham against Manchester United must continue during the relegation fight. "We competed really well and played a good game against a good team," Nuno said, pointing to the structure without the ball and the collective work rate from the squad.
He felt West Ham responded strongly after half-time and stayed focused almost until the final whistle against Manchester United. "I think we started the second half really well and defended properly until the last moment. We showed we are here to fight, and believe, and keep working hard. We have been trying to fix our problems. You can see the improvement. This is what we need for our future. "
We share the points with Manchester United. pic.twitter.com/63QmnuCBYyWest Ham United (@WestHam) February 10, 2026
Nuno also reflected on the missed chances that could have settled West Ham’s meeting with Manchester United before stoppage time. "We could have killed the game; we had a couple of counter-attacks, but it was not to be. We need to keep on going. " Those words matched the manager’s wider message about maintaining belief in the final weeks.
The result leaves West Ham still short of Nottingham Forest in the Premier League table and adds pressure before the next fixtures, yet the display against Manchester United showed organisation, threat on transitions and visible progress in Nuno’s structure, giving West Ham some confidence to draw on as the relegation battle continues.
