Ruben Amorim: 'Everything went wrong, it was as if MU wasn’t even present'

28/08/2025 06:59:00 GoalGuru

Coach Ruben Amorim has apologized to the fans following Manchester United's defeat to Grimsby in the 2025/26 English League Cup second round.

The Portuguese manager openly admitted that his players “weren’t even there” during the first half at Blundell Park.

Man United trailed 0-2 after the first 45 minutes before staging a late comeback with two goals to push the match into a penalty shootout. However, they fell 11-12 in the nerve-wracking penalty shootout that extended the contest. This loss is considered one of the darkest moments for the Red Devils in domestic cup competitions and leaves the FA Cup as their only realistic chance to win a trophy this season.

Amorim did not hide his disappointment: “Everything was wrong. The way we started the game, it was like we weren’t there at all. At a club where every detail matters, what happened today is really a problem. I sincerely want to apologize to the fans.”

Ruben Amorim: 'Tôi thực sự xin lỗi người hâm mộ Man United' 693277 — MU suffered an unbelievable loss to Grimsby (photo: The Sun).

He emphasized that the players “made it very clear today what they wanted,” hinting at a lack of desire against a fourth-tier opponent: “It doesn’t matter that we lost on penalties. The feeling is the same. Football today is fair; the better team won. As a coach, it’s my responsibility to understand what happened. But it’s hard to accept repeatedly making the same mistakes with nothing to say.”

The 40-year-old strategist also acknowledged that not everything can be changed in just one summer: “You can’t change too much, you can’t fix everything in one transfer window. What matters is winning and avoiding performances like this. This is the limit. I think something needs to change.”

wfqdsseweqdqs-68ae839b8d45e — Ruben Amorim is facing immense pressure at MU (Photo: GOAL).

On his return to goalkeeping duties, Andre Onana again made direct errors leading to both goals, from conceding near-post to fumbling a corner that allowed Tyrell Warren (a former MU academy player) to score. Still, Amorim defended his player: “It’s not Andre’s fault. This isn’t just a goalkeeper issue; it’s a team problem. As I said, the stronger team won. But losing to a fourth-division side is unacceptable.”

The Portuguese coach concluded with another apology: “I’m very sorry for the fans. We need to focus on the weekend’s match, then there will be time to reflect on everything.”

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