Man United knocked out of Carabao Cup

Grimsby Town 2 - 2 Manchester United (Grimsby Town won 12-11 on penalties)

United crashed out of the Carabao Cup in humiliating fashion after a marathon penalty shootout defeat to League Two Grimsby Town.

Author | Josh D

Stadium | Blundell Park

View from the away end

Amorim's side had looked to have salvaged the night after a shambolic first half in which they fell two goals behind, with returning goalkeeper André Onana badly at fault for Grimsby’s second. Bryan Mbeumo came off the bench to halve the deficit before Harry Maguire struck a stoppage-time equaliser.

But when the tie went to penalties, United faltered again. Matheus Cunha failed to convert their fifth kick and, after Mbeumo struck the crossbar with his second effort, Grimsby sealed a remarkable 12-11 win that sent jubilant fans pouring on to the pitch.

Rúben Amorim cut a dejected figure in the dugout as one of United’s two realistic shots at silverware vanished at the earliest stage. The manager had already been taunted with chants of “sacked in the morning” from home supporters during a desperate first half in which his side looked even more hapless than in the dark days of last season, which he himself described as “maybe the worst” in the club’s history.

Grimsby Town fans celebrate

How did United and Amorim get this so wrong?

Onana’s error was particularly costly. Restored to the team after being dropped for the opening Premier League fixtures, the Cameroon international looked uneasy from the start. On the half-hour he spilled a routine cross under pressure, allowing former United academy player Tyrell Warren to roll the loose ball into an empty net.

That goal doubled the lead given to Grimsby by Charles Vernam, who had earlier beaten Onana with a low drive after Amad Diallo and Manuel Ugarte were dispossessed, enabling Darragh Burns to swing in a cross for the striker to finish.

Amorim turned to his bench at half-time, introducing captain Bruno Fernandes, summer signing Mbeumo and defender Matthijs de Ligt in an attempt to wrest control of the contest. Mbeumo gave United hope with a clinical finish into the corner 15 minutes from time and Maguire’s late strike forced the shootout.

For a brief moment United seemed set to survive when Cunha stepped up to take their final penalty of the regulation five. His miss, however, set the tone. By the time Mbeumo clipped the bar, the contest was lost and United were left to digest another dismal chapter in a competition that had offered them a straightforward route to silverware.