GRIMSBY TOWN UPSET MANCHESTER UNITED IN CARABAO CUP DRAMA
Manchester United were stunned. Against fourth-tier opposition, they crashed out of the Carabao Cup in a shootout that will haunt Old Trafford.
Grimsby shocked United early on. Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren fired them 2–0 up by half-time. United looked flat.
They rallied late. Bryan Mbeumo netted his first for the club. Then Harry Maguire nodded in an equaliser in the 89th minute. It was enough to force penalties—but not enough to win.
The shootout stretched to 12–11. Home fans erupted as Mbeumo’s second attempt clattered the crossbar. Grimsby had done the unthinkable.
From the touchline, manager Ruben Amorim seemed drained. He turned cagey in front of cameras.
“Everything was wrong,” he said. “The start was poor. We were completely lost.” He offered a heartfelt apology. “I’m really sorry to our fans. My players spoke very clearly today about what they want.”
He made no excuses. “This is a fourth-division team. It’s not just about the goalkeeper. It’s everything—how we approach the game, our mentality.”
He acknowledged the scale of the setback. “The best team won. We must change. But you can’t change 22 players in one summer.”
For United, already winless and under scrutiny after a poor league finish, the result deepens the crisis. Signings cost big money. Performances have not delivered.
Grimsby, though, praised their own tenacity. Their manager lauded the nerve and belief within his squad. Fans invaded the pitch. Euphoria reigned.
Now, United must regroup quickly. Another Saturday fixture awaits. Amorim and his side face a moment of truth: adapt or risk disaster.
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