The pressure is already mounting on Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim after an embarrassing defeat to Grimsby Town.
Manchester United have crashed out of the Carabao Cup after suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of Grimsby Town on Wednesday night.
United were 2-0 down at half-time, as terrible defending handed Grimsby an unexpected lead, only for United to come back in the second half.
Summer signing Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire dragged United to penalties, but Matheus Cunha and Mbeumo failed from the spot in a seemingly never-ending shootout.
This was supposed to be a fresh start under Amorim, after backing him with major summer signings, but the United boss now finds himself under immense pressure.
Ruben Amorim looks on during Grimsby Town v Manchester United
Photo by George Wood/Getty Images
Ruben Amorim explains penalty shootout decision
No disrespect to the Mariners, but no Manchester United team should be losing to Grimsby Town.
Amorim made eight changes from Sunday’s draw at Fulham, but this was still a team full of international players.
Those players should have been able to get the job done, and yes, Grimsby Town played with great intensity, yes, the conditions weren’t ideal, but those excuses just aren’t good enough.
United fans have slammed Diogo Dalot and were even left baffled during penalties, as boss Amorim spent the entire shootout in the dugout.
Amorim refused to watch his side’s spot kicks, but the optics of him appearing to be hiding away in the dugout as United suffered a humiliating defeat were not good.
Amorim attempted to explain himself while speaking to ITV Sport after the game, simply claiming that the penalties didn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things.
The United boss was taking the approach that the overall performance wasn’t good enough, so he was more concerned with that than possibly sneaking through on penalties.
Amorim added that a United win would have been a travesty, believing that Grimsby were the better side and they deserved their win.
“The penalty shootout is not important,” said Amorim.
“If I’m there, trying to see if we win the game, it doesn’t matter. The sign, the beginning of the game, during the game, that’s the matter.
“If we win this game, it’s so unfair or these guys, the opponent. So unfair. So, today, the football was really fair, really fair. Congratulations to them, and we move to the next game, and then we have time to decide things,” he added.
Ruben Amorim explanation won’t wash with Manchester United fans
Amorim is clearly angry with United’s overall performance, but many fans just won’t accept this explanation.
Yes, United were poor and almost didn’t really deserve to make it to the penalty shootout.
The United boss must still stand strong and back his team in the shootout, but Amorim was nowhere to be seen.
Many other managers probably don’t love penalties; we often saw Jurgen Klopp face away from spot kicks during his time at Liverpool.
Even that would have been a better image for Amorim, but the shots of him rooted to the bench, detached from his struggling United side, will live long in the memory.