Grimsby Town, a League Two side from England’s fourth tier, pulled off one of the greatest upsets in modern football by eliminating Manchester United from the Carabao Cup after a dramatic penalty shootout at Blundell Park.
The tie ended 2–2 in normal time before Grimsby triumphed 12–11 on penalties, sealing their place in the third round.
The Mariners stunned their illustrious visitors by racing into a two-goal lead in the first half. Charles Vernam opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, before former United youth defender Tyrell Warren doubled the advantage just eight minutes later.
Manchester United, despite dominating possession, were sluggish, error-prone and repeatedly exposed at the back, with goalkeeper André Onana criticised for failing to deal with both strikes.
United eventually mounted a desperate fightback in the closing stages. Substitute Bryan Mbeumo halved the deficit in the 75th minute and Harry Maguire powered home a header in the 89th to rescue a draw and force penalties.
What followed was one of the longest shootouts in Carabao Cup history. Both sides converted chance after chance under immense pressure before Mbeumo, who had sparked United’s revival, blasted his effort against the crossbar. That decisive miss handed Grimsby a famous 12–11 victory, triggering wild celebrations among the home supporters.
For Grimsby, the night was one of pure ecstasy. Goalscorer Vernam described it as “an amazing feeling, one that will live on forever.”Goalkeeper Christy Pym, who made a vital save, admitted his mixed emotions: “I’m a Man United fan so I’m half fuming a little bit. But this is what football’s all about—it’s surreal.” The Mariners will now face Sheffield Wednesday in the next round.
For Manchester United, the defeat was historic for all the wrong reasons. It was the first time in the club’s history they have been eliminated from the League Cup by a fourth-tier opponent. The result compounds a poor start to the season, coming after a dismal 15th-place finish in last year’s Premier League and a summer outlay of over £200 million on new players.
Manager Ruben Amorim apologised to fans but did not spare his players, saying: “When everything is so important in our club, we were not even here. You need to win games. You need to not show this kind of performance. My players spoke really loud today.” His words reflected a growing sense of crisis, with United supporters branding him a “coward” on social media and calling for his dismissal.
The humiliation has intensified scrutiny on Amorim, whose team remain winless in all competitions this season. With supporters restless and the media circling, United’s upcoming league fixtures could prove decisive for his future.
For Grimsby, meanwhile, this victory will be remembered as a David-versus-Goliath triumph—an immortal night in club folklore, and one of the great Carabao Cup shocks of the modern era.
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