When 120 million worth attackers cannot score from the penalty spot

What a humiliation! According to Transfermarkt (Aug 2025 data), Grimsby Town's squad is valued at 3.6 million euros, while Manchester United's is 887.2 million, and yet they lost to the fourth-league club in the first round of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. There was certainly no United fans, even the most skeptical ones, who thought their team could lose in the small fishing town of Grimsby, especially when they saw a pretty solid line up, with players like Onana, Diallo, Dorgu, Ugarte and Dialot in the team. And in attack, a pair of 60+ million pounds (each) worth strikers Benjamin Sesko and Matheus Cunha. And then disaster stroke and after 120 minutes, another 60+ millions striker Bryan Mbeumo missed the crucial penalty and United crashed out. The other penalty miss was Cunha’s deed. Many TV pundits rushed to put the blame on (another) bad display from Andre Onana, but in reality, a 200 million pounds attack should have scored much more than two late goals in a game against a fourth-league team.

Awful, more awful, Man United! Fourth-tier side knocks Amorim's crew out of EFL Cup!

And what about the manager? Ruben Amorim had full support from the management but what is his record? Well, there are few of them, and they are all bad. He has managed in more Premier League games (29) than he has won points (28). His win percentage as a manager stands at a dismal 24.7% and Amorim’s record is worse than any United manager since Sir Alex Ferguson's reign, with David Moyes' 50% the second-worst. Under his guidance, United have won just seven of his 29 league matches, and the team's haul of 42 points last season was the worst in their Premier League history.

David who topples Goliaths – who are Grimsby Town?

“I just have to say sorry to our fans. The way we started the game, we were not even here. When everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it's a problem in our club, we should do so much better. In the penalties, the feeling is the same. I think football was really fair – the best team won. I think it was clear for everybody what happened. The way we start the game without any intensity, all the idea of the pressure, we were completely lost and that's why I think they spoke really loud. That is more than a result. That is the biggest problem in the team. I think it was really clear. You cannot change everything in one summer. You need to win games. You need to not show this kind of performance. I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change. In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend and then we have time to think” he said after the game.

Man United fan and in his spare time, their executioner

And what about the fans? They are now mocking even their own manager, and he gave them the tools for it. Right in the middle of a 2-0 loss (and Grimsby scored a third but it was denied), he was caught on camera using coaching magnets in the dugout. ‘Fraud with a board’ was an instant nickname he got on social media networks, and the fans were ruthless. Comedian Jonny Sharples posted a photoshopped picture of a Pokemon trading card album, joking that the Portuguese manager was more interested in card collecting than coaching his team. His stubborn persistence on a 3-4-3 formation is still not getting any positive results, even thou players were brought in to fit his style of play. And as he said himself after the defeat: “We’re not going to change 22 players”. So, if something extraordinary happens and United doesn’t defeat relegation strugglers Burnley this week, Amorim will be on the ‘hot seat’ officially.