By Kwame Bediako
Manchester United endured a new low under manager Ruben Amorim as they were shockingly eliminated from the Carabao Cup by League Two side Grimsby Town following a marathon penalty shootout.
After falling 2-0 behind in the first half and appearing disorganised throughout, the Premier League giants only managed to draw level late in the second period thanks to goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire.
However, in a tense shootout that went beyond the usual five penalties each, United ultimately lost 12-11 when Mbeumo’s late penalty hit the crossbar, sparking wild celebrations from the hosts.
Reflecting on the catastrophic performance, Amorim admitted his team was “completely lost” during the match and signalled that urgent changes are needed.
“I think the team and the players spoke really loudly today, so that’s it… The way we started the game without any intensity, we were completely lost,” he said.
The defeat marks a new low for United, coming off a poor 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season and deepening concerns over the team’s future prospects under Amorim, who has struggled with a win percentage of just 24.1% in the league.
The tactical setup and player performances also came under heavy criticism, particularly that of goalkeeper André Onana, who was blamed for both goals conceded in the first half. Former players and pundits expressed outrage at Onana’s mistakes and questioned Amorim’s decision to persist with his favoured formation despite its evident weaknesses.
Phil Jones and Jobi McAnuff critiqued the inflexibility of the system, while former striker Chris Sutton called the defeat an “embarrassment” and warned that Amorim may find it difficult to recover from this result.
Fans were similarly scathing on social media, with many calling for Onana to be sold immediately and criticising the overall lack of intensity and organisation on the pitch. The result leaves United without one of their realistic chances of silverware this season and significantly adds to the pressure heading into a critical Premier League fixture against Burnley.
Amorim’s post-match apology to supporters underscored the gravity of the situation, as he acknowledged the performance as unacceptable and focused attention on the upcoming challenges.
This historic defeat is United’s first ever to a fourth-tier club in this competition and will be remembered as one of the worst moments in the club’s recent history.
