Ruben Amorim is facing growing scrutiny after Manchester United’s humiliating Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town.
United’s absence from European competition this season forced them into the second round of the League Cup for the first time in over a decade.
The last time came in 2014, when Louis van Gaal’s men were thrashed 4-0 by MK Dons. Eleven years later, Grimsby inflicted an even greater embarrassment, handing United their first-ever defeat in the competition to a fourth-tier team.
The Mariners stunned Old Trafford by taking a two-goal lead into the break, with strikes from Charles Vernam and former United academy defender Tyrell Warren.
Andre Onana, restored to the starting lineup, will not want to watch the replays – he could have done more to stop the first, while the second left him exposed.
United clawed their way back through substitute Bryan Mbeumo and a late Harry Maguire header, forcing the tie to penalties.
The shootout was pure chaos. Onana briefly looked the hero after saving from Clarke Oduor, but Matheus Cunha wasted the chance to seal victory. In the end, Mbeumo struck the crossbar as United fell 12-11 in a marathon shootout.
The defeat deepens the crisis for Amorim, who has struggled since replacing Erik ten Hag last November.
Grim Night in Grimsby
The summer saw United spend more than £200 million on reinforcements, yet performances remain flat in the Premier League, and now the shock cup defeat has left pundits questioning Amorim’s future.
Former United striker Louis Saha, speaking to ITV Sport, suggested patience may be running thin: “I think they have some consideration.
“They have to have a bit of a rough attitude. This ground is difficult to come to but it’s what they’re here for; they have to perform.
“They have to find solutions. At the moment, we need to see better, speed of play, all this is missing.
“All the courage you expect from Man United, the quality, it’s not there. They have to regroup and find solutions.”
Amorim now heads into a crucial week. United host Burnley at Old Trafford on Saturday in their final match before the international break.
After that comes an even sterner test – the Manchester derby at the Etihad on September 14.
