Amorim BLOWS UP: Manchester United Humiliated by Grimsby in Carabao Cup

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim pulled no punches after his team’s humiliating defeat to League Two club Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

Despite coming back from a 2-0 deficit to tie 2-2 at Blundell Park, United fell in a penalty shootout that ended 12-11, after misses by Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, summer signings. Goalkeeper André Onana could only stop one penalty from Grimsby.

This defeat marked the first time United has lost a Carabao Cup match against a fourth-division team, and it signifies their first elimination in the second round since 2014. After only getting one point in the first two Premier League games of the season, Amorim heavily criticized his players, suggesting that the poor attitude remains a problem within the team.

The way we started the match, we weren’t even present. When everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it’s a problem in our club, we should do much better.

Ruben Amorim

Amorim added that he felt his players had clearly expressed what they wanted. “I think now I know that the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. And I think my team and the players spoke very clearly today.”

The coach also expressed that it was the limit and that something had to change. “In penalties, the feeling is the same. I think football was really fair today. The best team won.” United have invested over £200 million in new signings since the end of last season, but the team is still not improving, and Amorim believes that more time is needed to reverse the situation.

You can’t change everything in a summer. But it’s necessary to win matches. It’s necessary not to show this kind of performance.

Ruben Amorim

Amorim concluded that the problem was deeper than the result, pointing out that the team’s performance was evident. “When you play against a fourth division team, it’s not the goalkeeper who costs you the victory, it’s everything. It’s the atmosphere, it’s the way we approach the competition. We know that we are in a moment where people will pay attention to every detail, and today we showed that performance. So my players spoke very clearly for me.”