Grimsby, Aug 28: Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said his players “spoke for me really loud” after slumping to one of the most embarrassing losses in the club’s history.
United was beaten 12-11 in a penalty shootout by Grimsby Town, a team from the fourth tier of English soccer, in the second round of the League Cup. United had trailed 2-0 before scoring two late goals to snatch a 2-2 draw and force a shootout on Wednesday.
In a dig at his own players, Amorim praised Grimsby for being “the only team that was on the pitch.” “The best players lose because a team can win against any group of players,” Amorim said, “and I think the (United) team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it. We lost, the best team won.” Amorim accused his team of playing “without any intensity.” “We were completely lost and it’s hard to explain and that’s why I think they spoke really loud,” he said.
Asked what he meant by that specific comment, Amorim said: “I think it was clear for everybody what happened today.” Amorim guided United to a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season – its lowest ever in the competition – and has yet to earn a win in three games this season, after a loss to Arsenal and a draw at Fulham in the league.
“We have a game on the weekend (against Burnley) and then we have two weeks (during the international break). And we will sort things out,” Amorim said when asked where the Grimsby result left him and his team.
The shock defeat has only deepened the growing crisis at Old Trafford, with Amorim’s tenure already under severe scrutiny after a disastrous league campaign last season and a winless start to this one.
For a club of United’s stature, accustomed to success and silverware, the humiliation of being dumped out of the League Cup by a fourth-tier side will sting for weeks to come.
The manager’s blunt assessment of his players’ lack of intensity highlights the fractures within the squad, and unless a swift turnaround follows, questions over leadership, player commitment, and the very direction of the club will only grow louder. (AP)
