Amorim on Onana: “The problem is not just the goalkeeper”

Manchester United endured one of their darkest nights in recent memory after being knocked out of the Carabao Cup by fourth-tier Grimsby Town in the third round.

The League Two side stunned United with two first-half goals at Blundell Park, and although the Red Devils managed to fight back to level the score, they eventually fell 12-11 on penalties after an extraordinary shootout in which both sides took 13 spot kicks.

United Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana saved one penalty but was beaten by the remaining 12, leaving head coach Ruben Amorim to face questions about his team’s results.

Speaking to Sky Sports after the shock defeat, the Portuguese manager admitted the problem runs far deeper than his goalkeeper.

“I think the issue with Manchester United is repeating the same mistakes from last season,” Amorim said. “When you lose but see something new, it’s different. But when it’s the same mistakes again, it’s hard to talk about it. I just want to say I am very sorry to our supporters. There’s nothing more I can add.”

Amorim indicated that the blame cannot be placed solely on Onana:

“When you lose against a fourth-division team, the problem is not just the goalkeeper. The problem is everywhere — it’s the atmosphere, it’s the way we approach the Carabao Cup.”

The manager warned that the performance left fans with little to defend:

“The supporters will now exaggerate every small detail, but the truth is the players sent a very clear message tonight without me needing to say anything.”

The defeat compounds a difficult start to Amorim’s tenure at Old Trafford. While Onana was benched, United have collected just one point from their opening two Premier League matches, losing at home to Arsenal before drawing away at Fulham.

For Onana’s club, crashing out of the Carabao Cup to a team three divisions below them is another stark reminder of how far United still are from where they want to be.

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