Manchester United boss, Ruben Amorim, said his team “were completely lost” as they slipped to a shambolic Carabao Cup defeat at Grimsby following a marathon penalty shootout.
The loss against League Two opposition marks a new low for the Premier League side under Amorim and any optimism evident prior to the new campaign is already dissipating.
United, who trailed 2-0 after 30 minutes and could have found themselves three goals down in the second period, lacked any rhythm in an abject showing before Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire delivered late goals to take the tie to penalties.
However, after Matheus Cunha missed the opportunity to win the shootout for United with the final kick of the regulation five, every subsequent player scored until Mbeumo hit the bar to settle the shootout 12-11 in the hosts’ favour.
Reflecting on the defeat, Amorim said: “I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change.
“I think the team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it. [Tonight] I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch.
“I think it’s really clear what they spoke, so let’s move on from this day. I think it was clear for everybody what happened today.
“The way we start the game without any intensity, we were completely lost.
“In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend and then we have time to think.”
United, the 20-time English champions, finished 15th last season in their worst league campaign since being relegated in 1974.
Now one of their only two realistic opportunities to win a trophy this season has disappeared following one of the worst results in the club’s history.
Amorim made eight changes from the side that drew 1-1 at Fulham on Sunday, but he still named a line-up packed full of internationals and worth hundreds of millions of pounds.
Benjamin Sesko made his first United start after a £74m move from RB Leipzig, while Andre Onana had an evening to forget on his return to goal.
When Amorim was appointed to replace Erik ten Hag last season, insiders at the club talked up his prospects as an ambitious coach who would soon “have them winning again”.
That optimism has also been echoed from the stands by supporters in a popular matchday refrain, with the Portuguese boss promising that things would get better this term after a “disaster” of a season in 2024-25.
However, on this evidence, it looks to be misplaced despite a summer in which the club have invested heavily to refresh their striking options.
In the Premier League, Amorim has a win percentage of 24.1% – the exact same as Neil Warnock, who was twice relegated from English football’s top tier.
And a defeat by Burnley at Old Trafford this weekend would only increase scrutiny on his record with Amorim appearing to have few answers and looking agitated as he spoke by the dugout at Blundell Park, especially when asked if he could believe what he saw.
“No, but I’m the manager,” he added. “It should be my job to understand what happened.
“Again, I’m really sorry for our fans. Let’s focus on the next game.”
Speaking on BBC Radio 5 Live, he added: “[I have] no more answers. I do not even have anything to say. I just want to apologise to our fans. I’m really, really sorry.
“We played well against Arsenal and then we should have won against Fulham. Then to come here in the League Cup when everything is so important in this moment because everything is so scrutinised and we performed like that”.
