Ruben Amorim expressed his apologies to Manchester United fans after a disappointing exit from the League Cup against fourth-tier Grimsby Town on Wednesday.
United seemed to be saved when Harry Maguire scored a late equalizer, bringing the score to 2-2 after being down 0-2 at halftime. However, they lost the match in a lengthy penalty shootout, finishing 12-11 in favor of Grimsby. This defeat was sealed when new recruit Bryan Mbeumo’s penalty hit the crossbar.
Grimsby deserved the win, as they played better and showed more determination throughout the match.
Amorim hinted that the players’ performance indicated a lack of commitment to the challenge against the League Two side.
When asked about the team’s struggles, he was frank: “Everything went wrong. We didn’t show up in the first half. This is a major issue for our club; we must perform better. I sincerely apologize to our fans.”
He also stated, “The players made their intentions clear today. My focus now is on the next match, followed by international duties, where we will reassess our situation.”
“The penalty loss doesn’t matter in the end. Football was fair; the better team won,” he added.
The defeat in the League Cup puts United’s hopes for this season’s silverware on the line with the FA Cup now as their main target.
“As the manager, it’s my responsibility to figure out what went wrong. I feel truly sorry for our supporters. The next game is crucial; the performance today highlighted key issues within the team,” Amorim noted, referring to their poor start in the Premier League with just one point from two matches.
“I wish I had more impactful insights to share, but I don’t. Repeating the same mistakes is frustrating. I apologize again for our fans.”
“It can feel overwhelming at times. Change can’t happen overnight; we need to start winning and avoid performances like this.”
“I think we’ve reached a critical point,” he concluded.
Andre Onana had a tough match in goal, contributing to both Grimsby goals: he was beaten at his near post for the first and failed to claim a cross for the second, which was scored by former United academy player Tyrell Warren.
“This isn’t solely about Andre,” Amorim clarified. “With all due respect, the best team won today. But this is a fourth-division team. The issues run deeper.”
Published on Aug 28, 2025
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