Grimsby 2 Manchester United 2 (12-11 on pens): Onana’s blunders, what next for Ruben Amorim?

Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim suffered the most embarrassing result of his Old Trafford reign as his woeful team were humiliated by League Two’s Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup.

First-half goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren, after errors from Andre Onana, saw the home side take a 2-0 lead before goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire sent the tie to penalties.

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Matheus Cunha had a chance to win the tie in the shootout, but his tame spot kick was kept out by Christy Pym and an epic 13-round shootout was only settled when Mbeumo’s second penalty hit the bar. It was not a set of penalties that reflected well on Amorim’s new £200m frontline, with Cunha and Mbeumo missing and Benjamin Sesko strangely 10th in the order.

But make no mistake, United got what they deserved, and this cranks up the pressure on Amorim, who oddly refused to watch his own side’s penalties while sitting in the dugout.

This is only the third time in 30 years that United have gone out at the second-round stage. They were eliminated in 1995-96 by third-tier York City and then again by third-tier MK Dons in 2014-15. The defeat means Amorim’s side can only play a maximum of 45 matches this season (and that would mean reaching the FA Cup final). Only once since 1959 have they played fewer games in a campaign (44 in 2014-15).

United were second best in the opening stages and were made to pay in the 22nd minute when Vernam hammered a shot inside the near post – one on which Onana really should have done better. Amorin was serenaded by the obligatory ‘sacked in the morning’ chants, which got louder on the half hour when former United youngster Warren bundled in a second.

The United head coach’s half-time response was to introduce captain Bruno Fernandes, Matthijs de Ligt and Mbeumo but, as the weather worsened, the home side were rarely tested and were only denied a third by a debatable offside call.

Mbeumo got United back into the tie with 15 minutes remaining. United piled forward in search of an equaliser and were rewarded in the 89th minute when Harry Maguire headed in Mason Mount’s corner. Sesko almost stole it in the closing seconds before penalties served United their fate.

The Athletic’s Carl Anka and Laurie Whitwell analyse the action.

What was Andre Onana doing?

Grimsby were meant to be a more compliant opponent for United than Arsenal and Fulham. The League Two side have started the season well — three wins and two draws — but travelling fans hoped and expected Amorim’s men to run up a score.

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Amorim made eight changes from the team that started at Craven Cottage, affording several players their first minutes of the new season. But the rotated starting XI were second best for the majority of the first half at Blundell Park. Several players were guilty of overplaying the ball or falling foul of Grimsby’s aggressive defending, prompting the head coach to turn his head away in frustration.

Grimsby manager David Artell had told broadcast media he wanted his players to use the fixture as “a platform for their career.” The 22nd minute saw their early pressure come good. Right winger Darragh Burns fed Vernam on the far side of the box, and the striker took a touch before shooting beyond Onana at the near post. It was another shot-stopping mistake for Onana, who hadn’t featured in United’s opening two fixtures of the season.

The error was compounded eight minutes later, when Grimsby surprised United with a short-corner routine before floating the ball in towards the back post. Onana missed with his attempt to punch the ball and Warren bundled the ball in. Onana simply wasn’t strong enough.

Onana can only watch after flapping at cross as Warren bundles in the second (Nigel French/PA/Getty Images)

André Onana with an ABSOLUTE SHOCKER as Grimsby double their lead! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZPzqJVSpoa — CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) August 27, 2025

This League Cup tie was meant to be a straightforward occasion. But two critical goalkeeping errors complicated things.

Carl Anka

What must agitated Amorim be thinking?

This was a humbling, deeply concerning occasion for Amorim. He had begun the match barking instructions to his players over their positions at kick-off, and he only grew more agitated as his team were overrun by a side three divisions below.

As the rain fell in the second half, he stood getting soaked, inevitably wondering how his United tenure has plunged so low. His team offered turgid football, and whatever the talk about individual errors, there are deep questions about the system he is so wedded to.

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Starting five defenders at a League Two side feels off for a United team, and the amount of guidance from the dugout shows there remains a disconnect between his players and an understanding of what Amorim wants.

He couldn’t bring himself to celebrate when United equalised in the 89th minute and, indeed, all it offered was false hope. He was unable to watch the penalties, and there is an awkward symbolism about United’s two signings from the Premier League this summer missing the crucial penalties.

Laurie Whitwell

Did Mainoo do enough?

Kobbie Mainoo’s transfer situation made him the main topic of conversation before this tie. The Athletic understands the England international is open to a move away from Old Trafford this summer, while the club have been considering the prospect of selling him.

Playing time is the best cure for transfer tension, but Mainoo’s performance provided limited answers to a wearying list of questions. Before the game, Amorim was asked what he expected of his 20-year-old midfielder.

“The same as every player in that position. I expect a lot from Kobbie Mainoo and again people think that sometimes you need to just give. It’s important for Kobbie to fight for his place. I believe a lot in Kobbie — more than everybody thinks — so I expect a lot from him.”

As has been the case throughout United’s pre-season tour, Mainoo started alongside Manuel Ugarte in central midfield. He attempted to go about his duties with his typical competency, but was undone by a Grimsby collective that denied any United player the chance to get comfortable.

At his best, Mainoo works as a press-resistant ball carrier; a lock-pick of a player who can manoeuvre the ball through tight spaces. He can be a wonderful cog in a well-structured team, but Amorim’s 3-4-3 prefers its central midfielders to defend large areas of space, and to hit long balls into channels for the wing-backs/No 10s to collect and initiate quick attacks.

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Mainoo managed 47 touches of the ball in the first half, but very few were conducive to United arresting a worrying slide. On more than one occasion, he would peel out of the right flank to offer an easy pass for Tyler Fredricson and Onana in early build-up.

Mainoo struggled on his first start of the season (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

There were some signs of rustiness; one pass to Patrick Dorgu in the 18th minute went woefully out of play and led to Amorim slapping his hands together before turning away from the action.

Amorim’s second-half changes brought some improvement from Mainoo. United’s need for a comeback goal meant he was circumvented for sections of the second half as they attempted to play long, but there were still touches of quality.

It was his pass that found Mbeumo before the forward’s dribble and shooting effort to make the score 2-1, and it fell to both Mainoo and Fernandes to find the many United bodies surging forward as the team went looking for an equaliser.

Carl Anka

Were United fortunate to even make it to the shootout?

Maguire’s 89th-minute header got United a precious equaliser to send the game to a penalty shootout, but the centre-back nearly played a part in giving Grimsby a 3-0 lead 15 minutes earlier.

It was in the 74th minute when a pass ricocheted off Maguire’s left and into the path of Gardner. The linesman’s flag was up early, before the striker’s finish rested in the bottom corner.

Gardner was indeed in an offside position when the pass was made, but Maguire’s touch could, or perhaps should, have reset the phase of play, meaning the assistant referee’s call was incorrect. There was no VAR in this tie.

Carl Anka

What did Amorim say

Amorim told Sky Sports after the match:

Why was it so hard?

In the end it doesn’t matter if we recover or not. It is the signs we gave during the game. The beginning of the game…I know the best team won. The only team on the pitch. The best players lose. One team can win against any group of players. I think the team and the players spoke really loud today. We lost, the best team won.

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What do you mean?

“It’s really clear what they spoke. So lets move on from this day and it was really clear for everyone what happened today. I don’t know (why they had space). Its not just that but the way we start the game without any intensity, the idea of the pressure. We were completely lost, it is hard to explain.

Was it the same as last season?

“Yes, that is a problem. When you lose but you see something new, its different. When you see something like today, its hard to talk about that. I am really sorry for the fans. With the support they always have. I have nothing to say, I’m really sorry.”

“We have a game on the weekend and then we have two weeks. And we will solve things.

“When you play against a fourth division team, it is not the goalkeeper (Onana). It is everything, the environment, the way we faced the competition. People will pay attention to everything. Every detail. We showed that performance today. My players spoke for me really loud.”

What next for United?

Saturday, August 30: Burnley (home), Premier League, 3pm UK, 10am ET

(Top photo: Amorim had no answer to what Grimsby threw at him and United; Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

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