Manchester United sank to a new low under Ruben Amorim by getting eliminated by fourth-tier Grimsby Town after a marathon penalty shootout in the second round of the English League Cup on Wednesday.
Grimsby won a dramatic shootout 12-11 at the 9,000-capacity Blundell Park, with Bryan Mbeumo missing the decisive penalty. United needed late goals by Mbeumo and Harry Maguire just to salvage a 2-2 draw in regulation, having trailed 2-0 at halftime.
It will go down as one of the most embarrassing results in United’s history and leaves the team winless in three games so far this campaign, after a woeful 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season.
It is the first time Man United have ever been eliminated from a cup competition by a team from England’s fourth tier. While United have been knocked out by non-league teams when there were just two divisions in England, the most recent of those was in 1914 in the FA Cup against Swindon Town.
Charles Vernam scored to put Grimsby into a shock lead before United youth product Tyrell Warren capitalised on goalkeeper Andre Onana’s latest error to double the home side’s lead before half-time.
Grimsby had chances to pull further ahead in the second half, only for Amorim’s side to seemingly snatch a late reprieve and force a penalty shootout.
Onana saved new signing Clarke Oduour’s spot-kick and Matheus Cunha blew the chance to win it for the visitors, with the goals continuing until Mbeumo thumped his effort off the crossbar as fans poured onto the pitch.
Information from The Associated Press, PA and ESPN Research was used in this report.