Sesko scores late to rescue 1-1 draw for Man United at West Ham

Manchester United’s winning run couldn’t go on forever. But a dramatic late equalizer from Benjamin Sesko rescued a 1-1 draw at West Ham in the Premier League on Tuesday and kept the momentum going under coach Michael Carrick.

Sesko struck in the 96th minute at the London Stadium to keep United in fourth place ahead of Chelsea, which also dropped points in a 2-2 draw against Leeds.

Tottenham was dragged closer to the relegation zone after a 2-1 loss at home to Newcastle and is now just five points ahead of 18th-place West Ham.

Carrick was moments away from his first loss as United coach as the clock ticked down at West Ham.

After four straight wins, United trailed following Tomas Soucek's goal from early in the second half.

But Carrick, who was part of so many famous comebacks as a United player, is getting used to dramatic turnarounds as a coach as well. After late winners against Arsenal and Fulham, he watched his team salvage a point through substitute Sesko.

The Slovenia international produced a brilliant flicked goal at the near post to stun the home fans and maintain Carrick's unbeaten run.

“It is those times when you aren’t totally at your best that you find a way,” Carrick said. “Credit to the boys for the spirit to get a late goal when we needed it. It is a great quality to have. We’ll take the point and move on.”

While United battled to salvage a point, Chelsea blew a two-goal lead at home to draw with Leeds as Liam Rosenior dropped points for the first time since taking over at Stamford Bridge.

Lukas Nmecha and Noah Okafor sealed the comeback for Leeds.

Joao Pedro and Cole Palmer from the penalty spot seemed to put Rosenior on course for a fifth-straight league win. But Chelsea was stunned by two goals in the space of six minutes from in-form Leeds and had to settle for a point.

Draws for both United and Chelsea could see the race for Champions League qualification tighten if Liverpool wins at Sunderland on Wednesday.

Liverpool is sixth, five points behind Chelsea and six back from United with a game in hand on both.

The top four are guaranteed qualification to the Champions League, but the Premier League is likely to be given an extra spot because of the performances of English teams in Europe this season.

It increasingly looks like a battle for survival for Tottenham. The same might be said for coach Thomas Frank.

The pressure is building on Frank, whose team is still to win a league game in 2026, despite advancing to the round of 16 in the Champions League.

Spurs' last league win was Dec. 28. That's one win in 11 in England's top flight and such a desperate run leaves Frank's team five points clear of the relegation zone after West Ham's draw.

There were boos from the home fans inside the stadium as they witnessed another setback.

"I understand the fans' frustration. We are in a position we don’t want to be in, that we’re working very hard day and night to change," Frank said.

The win for Newcastle ended its three-game losing run in the league.

Jacob Ramsey slid a shot into the bottom corner from close range in the 68th minute at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to secure the points.

Malick Thiaw put Newcastle ahead in first-half stoppage time.

Archie Gray gave Spurs hope in the 64th, but Ramsey restored the lead soon after.

Bournemouth scored twice in the space of three minutes to come back from a goal down to beat Everton 2-1 at Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Iliman Ndiaye's penalty before the break gave the home team the lead, but Rayan leveled in the 61st and Amine Adli scored the winner three minutes later.

James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Manchester United's Benjamin Sesko (30) scores against West Ham United during a Premier League soccer match, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in London. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Manchester United's Benjamin Sesko (30) reacts after scoring against West Ham United during a Premier League soccer match, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in London. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Manchester United's Amad Diallo, left, and West Ham United's El Hadji Malick Diouf battle for the ball during a Premier League soccer match, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in London. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick watches before a Premier League soccer match against West Ham United, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026, in London. (Adam Davy/PA via AP)

Tottenham's head coach Thomas Frank gives instructions during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Newcastle in London, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Tottenham's Archie Gray reacts after scoring during the English Premier League soccer match between Tottenham and Newcastle in London, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Ian Walton)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer, right, winds up to score his side's second goal from a penalty during an English Premier League soccer match against against Leeds United, in London, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

Chelsea's Cole Palmer, right, celebrates scoring his side's second goal of the game from a penalty against Leeds United's during an English Premier League soccer match in London, Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026. (Nick Potts/PA via AP)

HELSINGBORG, Sweden (AP) — NATO allies and defense officials expressed bewilderment Friday at U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he would send 5,000 U.S. troops to Poland just weeks after ordering the same number of forces pulled out of Europe.

The apparent change of mind came after weeks of statements from Trump and his administration about reducing — not increasing — the U.S. military footprint in Europe. Trump's initial order set off a flurry of action among military commanders and left allies already doubtful about America's commitment to Europe's security to ponder what forces they might have to backfill on NATO's eastern flank with Russia and Ukraine.

Earlier this month, the Trump administration said it was reducing levels in Europe by about 5,000 troops, and U.S. officials confirmed about 4,000 service members were no longer rotating into Poland from Germany. The dispatch to Germany of U.S. personnel trained to fire long-range missiles was also halted.

But in a post on Truth Social on Thursday, Trump said he would now send "an additional 5,000 Troops to Poland,” citing his strong ties with Polish President Karol Nawrocki, whom Trump endorsed in elections last year.

“It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate,” Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard told reporters Friday at a meeting she was hosting of her NATO counterparts, including U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Ministers from the Netherlands and Norway were sanguine about Trump’s latest move, as was Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže, who said allies knew the U.S. troop “posture was being reconsidered, and now there is no change of posture. For now.”

U.S. defense officials also expressed confusion. “We just spent the better part of two weeks reacting to the first announcement. We don’t know what this means either,” said one of two officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military matters.

But Rubio said Washington’s allies understand that changes in the U.S. troop presence in Europe will come as the Trump administration reevaluates its force needs. “I think there’s a broad recognition that there are going to be eventually less U.S. troops in Europe than there has historically been for a variety of reasons,” he said.

The latest surprise came despite a U.S. pledge to coordinate troop deployments, including one from NATO’s top military officer, U.S. Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, on Wednesday.

Trump's initial announcement that he would withdraw troops came as he fumed over remarks by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who said that the U.S. was being “humiliated” by the Iranian leadership and criticized what he called a lack of strategy in that war.

Trump told reporters that the U.S. would be cutting even more than 5,000 and also announced new tariffs on European cars. Germany is the continent’s biggest auto producer.

Rubio insisted that Trump’s decision “is not a punitive thing. It’s just something that’s ongoing.”

About 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Europe. The Pentagon is required to keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment on the continent unless NATO allies are consulted and there is a determination that such a withdrawal is in U.S. interests.

The withdrawal of 5,000 troops might drop numbers below that limit.

But Trump's latest post suggests that troop numbers in Europe would not change. Polish Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski welcomed the decision to send more forces to his country, saying it ensures that “the presence of American troops in Poland will be maintained more or less at previous levels.”

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte also welcomed the move. On Thursday, before Trump took to Truth Social again, Rutte had underlined that it was important for Europe to take care of its own security. “We have a process in place. This is normal business,” he told reporters.

At NATO headquarters in Brussels, meanwhile, U.S. officials briefed the allies on the Pentagon's aims for its commitments to the NATO Force Model, which involves contingency planning for Europe’s defense in the event of serious security concerns. It was widely expected that a further reduction of U.S. forces would be coming.

Asked whether any cuts were announced, Rutte said: “I’m afraid it’s much more complicated than that.” He said the procedure “is highly classified” and declined to give details.

Rubio played down concerns about a shift in U.S. force levels in Europe, saying: "Every country has to constantly reevaluate what their needs are, what their commitments are around the world, and how to properly structure that.”

Cook reported from Brussels. Associated Press writer Emma Burrows in London contributed.

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio speaks with journalists during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, front second left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, front left, speak with each other during a group photo at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte look at each other as they deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže speaks at the doorstep of the NATO foreign ministers' meeting at Sea U in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, left, and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte deliver a statement during a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives with his wife Jeanette at Malmo Airport, Friday, May 22, 2026, in Malmo-Sturup, Sweden, ahead of a NATO foreign ministers meeting. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson, Pool)

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, second from left, shakes hands with Prime Minister of Sweden Ulf Kristersson, as he is greeted by King Carl Gustaf of Sweden, Queen Silvia of Sweden and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Maria Malmer Stenergard, right, before a dinner at Sofiero Castle in Helsingborg, Sweden, Thursday May 21 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)

Swedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard speaks to media at the NATO Foreign Ministers' meeting in Helsingborg, Sweden, Friday, May 22, 2026. (Johan Nilsson/TT News Agency via AP)