Manchester United suffered a historic 12-11 penalty shootout defeat to fourth-tier Grimsby Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup on August 27, 2025, at Blundell Park, marking a new low for manager Ruben Amorim after a 2-2 draw in regulation time. United trailed 2-0 before late goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire forced penalties, but misses by Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo, whose second effort hit the crossbar, sealed their exit. Amorim, visibly dejected, did not watch the shootout, stating, “The penalty shootout was not important… If we win this game, it’s so unfair on these guys, the opponents,” and praised Grimsby, saying, “The best team won,” while noting his players “spoke really loud” about their lack of intensity. He apologized to fans and hinted at needing the upcoming international break to “sort things out.”
Grimsby Town’s manager, David Artell, celebrated the upset, describing it as a “monumental effort” by his squad, with goalkeeper Jake Eastwood earning praise for his shootout heroics, though no specific player quotes were detailed in reports. Artell emphasized his team’s spirit and organization, which overwhelmed United’s expensive lineup, according to ESPN. The match exposed United’s ongoing issues, poor defending by Diogo Dalot and Tyler Fredricson, André Onana’s struggles with Grimsby’s second goal from a corner, and a lack of midfield control from Kobbie Mainoo and Manuel Ugarte, compounding Amorim’s challenges with his 3-4-3 system, which critics argue fails to suit the squad, per ESPN. The loss, United’s worst cup defeat in memory, leaves Amorim under pressure, with a 19th defeat in 45 games since taking over in November 2024, as he faces Burnley next in the Premier League.
