Ruben Amorim has apologised to Manchester United supporters after their shock League Cup elimination at the hands of fourth-tier Grimsby Town on Wednesday night.
United fought back from 2-0 down to level the tie, with Harry Maguire’s 89th-minute header forcing penalties after a poor first-half display at Blundell Park. But a dramatic shootout ended 12-11 in Grimsby’s favour when Bryan Mbeumo struck the bar with United’s final kick.
Amorim, who has been under pressure since taking charge last season, admitted his side showed little fight and hinted at deeper problems within the squad.
“The players spoke really loud today about what they want,” he said, suggesting a lack of desire. “Everything—the way we started, we were not even here. Everything is so important in this club. We should do much better. I just have to say sorry to our fans.”
The Portuguese coach acknowledged that his team “lacked urgency” and were “not ready for the battle,” adding:
“It doesn’t matter that we lost on penalties. Football was fair today. The best team won.”
With United now out of the League Cup, their realistic hopes of silverware this season rest on the FA Cup. Amorim, however, admitted the international break would force him into reflection as scrutiny over his position grows.
“I’m the manager. It’s my job to understand what happened. Again, I’m really sorry for our fans. That is more than a result—that is the biggest problem in the team. It was really clear today.”
Frustrated, Amorim said he felt he had “nothing new to say” as United’s repeated failings became glaring:
“That’s the biggest problem too. Seeing the same mistakes and having nothing to say. I’m really sorry for our fans.”
He also warned that expectations were unrealistic, stressing that major issues could not be solved in a single transfer window.
“It’s too much sometimes. You cannot change everything in one summer. But you need to win games. You need to avoid this kind of performance. I think this is a little bit the limit.”
