Manchester United’s season plunged into further turmoil on Wednesday night as they crashed out of the Carabao Cup in a penalty shootout defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town. The shock result not only highlighted the team’s on-field struggles but also intensified the scrutiny on head coach Rúben Amorim, whose tenure is now hanging by a thread. United, still reeling from last season’s dismal 15th-place Premier League finish, once again find themselves staring at fundamental questions about their direction.
The defeat comes just months after United’s hierarchy, led by Sir Jim Ratcliffe, chief executive Omar Berrada and technical director Jason Wilcox, backed Amorim with a £200 million transfer outlay in the summer. The investment brought in high-profile attacking reinforcements including Matheus Cunha and Benjamin Sesko, but results have been far from convincing. Since Amorim’s appointment, United have won only 17 of 45 games, and his rigid system—built around three centre-backs and no natural wingers—has unsettled several key players, including homegrown talent Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho, both of whom are now considering futures away from Old Trafford.
Amorim himself cut a subdued figure after the shock exit, admitting he could not explain his team’s collapse but insisting the responsibility lay with him. His demeanour, however, offered little reassurance to supporters or club executives. United fans have already grown restless, with chants of “sacked in the morning” from jubilant Grimsby supporters echoing ominously. Reports suggest some within the squad have grown frustrated with Amorim’s tactical rigidity, while others believe his methods—so effective at Sporting Lisbon—have not translated to the physical and competitive demands of English football.
The defeat has also raised difficult questions for United’s board. Just last year, they handed Erik ten Hag a contract extension before sacking him months later, and Amorim’s struggles now present a familiar dilemma. If the club’s entire rebuild is centred around a coach and a system that appear incompatible with both players and the Premier League, how long can United afford to persist? Discontent has already seeped into the transfer market, with potential departures of talented academy products threatening to undermine the club’s future.
Amorim will face the media again on Friday ahead of United’s Premier League clash with Burnley, a fixture that now carries extra significance. While victory is expected, the reality is that even three points may not be enough to quell the growing crisis. At Manchester United, results against fourth-tier opposition cannot be dismissed as anomalies, and the longer the uncertainty lingers, the louder the calls will grow for decisive change.
