Manchester United head coach Ruben Amorim lashed out at his players after a shocking loss against EFL League Two club Grimsby Town on Wednesday. United conceded a 2-0 lead as Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren scored for the home team in the first 30 minutes.
The visitors were able to bounce back as Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire scored in the second half. But United suffered a 12-11 loss on penalties as summer signings Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha missed their targets. Furthermore, goalkeeper André Onana only saved one Grimsby penalty.
“The way we started the game, we were not even here,” Amorim said. “When everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it’s a problem in our club, we should do so much better.
“I just have to say sorry to our fans, but I felt my players spoke really loud today what they want.
“I think now I know that the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. And I think my team and the players spoke really loud today.
“I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change. In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend and then we have time to think.
“In the penalties, the feeling is the same. I think football was really fair today. The best team won.”
The Portuguese manager slammed the whole team’s performance and questioned the attitude of the players on the pitch.
“You cannot change everything in one summer,” he said. “But you need to win games. You need to not show this kind of performance.
“That is more than a result. That is the biggest problem in the team. I think it was really clear today.
“When you play against a fourth division team, it’s not the goalkeeper [that costs you the win], it’s everything.
“It’s the environment, it’s the way we face the competition. We know that we are in a moment when people will pay attention to everything.
“It’s going to be massive every detail and we show that performance today. So my players spoke for me really loud.”
Manchester United will next take on Burnley on Saturday at Old Trafford.
