MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United climbed up to third place in the Premier League with a 2-1 win against Crystal Palace on Sunday.
Benjamin Sesko's seventh goal in eight games sealed the win at Old Trafford that moved United above Aston Villa on goal difference.
At the other end of the standings, Tottenham's winless run extended to 10 games after a 2-1 loss at Fulham — leaving it mired in a fight to avoid relegation. Nottingham Forest also
failed to pull further away from the drop zone after a 2-1 loss at Brighton.
League leader Arsenal hosts sixth-place Chelsea later Sunday.
United's latest win boosted its push for a return to the Champions League and further strengthened Michael Carrick's credentials to be given the coach's job on a long-term basis.
He remains unbeaten since being given a contract to the end of the season in January, with a record of six wins in seven games. His cause may also have been helped after overcoming a Palace team coached by Oliver Glasner, who was one of the early favorites to get the job when United fired Ruben Amorim at the start of the year.
Glasner won the FA Cup with Palace last season and will be a free agent at the end of the current campaign. And when Maxence Lacroix headed Palace in front after just four minutes, Glasner had the chance to claim a statement win in front of United's hierarchy.
But Carrick has instilled a resilient streak in his team in just a short space of time and United leveled in the 57th after Lacroix dragged back Matheus Cunha in the box and was sent off for denying a clear scoring opportunity.
Bruno Fernandes stepped up and converted from the penalty spot for his seventh goal of the season.
Sesko, who has been a scoring substitute in recent weeks for United, was given a chance from the start and struck again with a powerful winning header in the 65th.
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James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
