United Fall to Grimsby in Dramatic Penalty Shootout After Draw

GRIMSBY: Following Manchester United’s shocking Carabao Cup elimination at the hands of EFL League Two’s Grimsby Town, manager Ruben Amorim strongly criticized his team, acknowledging that “the better side prevailed” on Wednesday evening.

After a 2-2 tie at Blundell Park, where they rallied from a 2-0 deficit, United were defeated 12-11 on penalties. Summer acquisitions Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha both failed to convert critical penalty kicks, while goalkeeper André Onana only managed to block one attempt from Grimsby.

The defeat signifies United’s first-ever Carabao Cup loss to a team from the fourth division and their earliest departure from the tournament since 2014.

Amorim was forthright in his evaluation, lambasting his team’s lack of determination and mindset—problems that have already surfaced after United secured just a single point in their first two Premier League matches this season.

“We weren’t present in the game at all in the way we began,” Amorim stated. “When everything carries so much weight at our club, and every occurrence reflects on our club, we are expected to perform at a much higher level.”

The Portuguese manager issued an apology to the supporters and commended Grimsby for their efforts.

“I simply must express my regret to our supporters. However, I believe my players displayed their true intentions today,” Amorim added. “I now recognize that the superior team emerged victorious—the only team that truly competed on the field.”

Despite spending over £200 million ($270m) on new players during the summer, United are still having trouble maintaining consistency. Amorim admitted that it will take more time to turn the team around.