Ruben Amorim apologised to Manchester United fans after his team suffered a humiliating League Cup exit against fourth-tier side Grimsby Town on Wednesday.
United looked set to escape defeat when Harry Maguire’s late header made it 2-2 in the 89th minute. They had earlier trailed 2-0 after a poor first half. But a long penalty shootout ended 12-11 in favour of Grimsby after new signing Bryan Mbeumo hit the crossbar with his attempt.
Grimsby fully deserved the victory. They matched United’s intensity, created chances and never looked intimidated by their famous opponents.
After the game, Amorim suggested his players lacked desire. “My players spoke really loud today about what they want. It is easy for you to see,” he said.
When asked about what went wrong, the Portuguese coach was blunt. “Everything. The way we started the game, we were not even here. At a club like ours, every mistake matters. We should do much better. I can only say sorry to our fans.”
Amorim insisted that the penalty result did not change the outcome. “Football was fair today. The best team won.”
United’s exit leaves the FA Cup as their most realistic chance of winning silverware this season. The manager admitted his side’s issues go beyond results. “It is more than losing on penalties. It is the same mistakes again. That is the biggest problem. I am really sorry for our fans. It is too much sometimes. You cannot change everything in one summer. But you need to win and you cannot show this level of performance.”
Goalkeeper Andre Onana had a night to forget. He was beaten at his near post for the first goal and failed to deal with a cross that allowed former United academy player Tyrell Warren to score the second. Amorim refused to blame him directly. “It is not about Andre. With all due respect, the best team won. This is a fourth-division side. It is more than the goalkeeper.”