CARABAO CUP : GRIMSBY TOWN VS MANCHESTER UNITED – 27/08/2025 (PHOTO – GRIMSBY TOWN’S LOVELY BLUNDELL PARK STADIUM)

CARABAO CUP – GRIMSBY TOWN VS MANCHESTER UNITED – 27/08/2025

WHAT A NIGHT FOR GRIMSBY TOWN LAST NIGHT, WITH BOTH FANS AND PLAYERS A VISION OF HAPPINESS AND HOPE FROM THE START! THE LIGHTS SHONE OUT AT A PACKED-OUT BLUNDELL STADIUM ONTO THE BEAUTIFULLY KEPT PITCH, AND THE FACES OF THE EXCITED SUPPORTERS IN THE STANDS WHO HAD THEIR DREAMS COME TRUE IN A WIN OVER PREMIER LEAGUE SIDE MANCHESTER UNITED AFTER A DRAMATIC PENALTY SHOOT-OUT!

GRIMSBY TOWN MADE 215 PASSES, WITH A 67% PASS ACCURACY, HAD 6 CORNERS, AND 10 SHOTS WITH 4 ON-TARGET, INCLUDING STUNNERS FROM CHARLES VERNAM (THE 1ST GOAL OF THE MATCH) AT 22 MINS., (BELOW)

AND TYRELL WARREN AT 30 MINS., (BELOW)

AND WENT ON TO ‘HOLD THE FORT’ UNTIL WELL INTO THE SECOND-HALF, WHEN BRYAN MBEUMO SCORED AT 75 MINS. AND HARRY MAGUIRE ALSO, AT 89 MINS., (BELOW)

BUT WITH THE TORRENTIAL RAIN WHICH STARTED AT AROUND 50 MINS. BY NOW HAVING SOAKED THE PITCH, IT MADE THINGS ALL THE MORE DIFFICULT FOR MAN UNITED TO SCORE, WITH PLAYERS FLYING AROUND EVERYWHERE, AND AT ONE POINT, THE BALL GETTING STUCK IN THE MUD!  HOWEVER, THEY STILL MADE AN IMPRESSIVE 525 PASSES IN TOTAL, WITH AN 87% PASS ACCURACY (AND HAD 71% POSSESSION), PLUS 28 SHOTS, WITH 9 ON-TARGET. BUT AS HARRY MAGUIRE’S GOAL WAS THE LAST GOAL OF THE 90 MINS., THE MATCH ENDED IN A 2 – 2 DRAW!  SO IT WAS ONTO PENALTIES – AND WHAT AN EPIC PENALTY SHOOT-OUT IT WAS, (WITH THE RAIN NOW GONE) AND ALTHOUGH ENTERTAINING FOR THE CROWD (NOT RUBEN AMORIM PERHAPS), BELOW

IT WAS A DRAMATIC END TO A DYNAMIC MATCH, WITH UNDERDOGS GRIMSBY WINNING 12 – 11 ON PENALTIES, MEANING THAT MAN UNITED NOW EXITE THE CARABAO CUP!

MBEUMO LOOKED DEJECTED AFTER MISSING A PENALTY FOR MAN UNITED

“HONOUR AND GRACE IN DEFEAT”

AFTER THE MATCH, RUBEN AMORIM APOLOGISED TO FANS, SAYING THAT HE WAS “REALLY SORRY” AND THAT THE “BEST TEAM WON.” 

HE ALSO SAID THAT HIS PLAYERS “SPOKE REALLY LOUD” THROUGH THEIR PERFORMANCE, SAYING THAT “SOMETHING HAS TO CHANGE” AT MAN UNITED BUT HE WOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER NEXT WEEKEND’S GAME AGAINST BURNLEY TO ASSESS THE SITUATION AND DECIDE ON FUTURE ACTIONS, INCLUDING HIS OWN POSITION! 😒YIKES!

GRIMSBY TOWN’S MANAGER DAVID ARTELL PRAISED HIS “MAGNIFICENT” PLAYERS AND FANS AFTER THE MATCH (BELOW)

AND WENT ON TO EXPRESS HIS “PRIDE” IN HIS TEAM FOR BRAVELY PLAYING IN THEIR OWN STYLE, BUT ALSO NOTED THE IMPORTANCE OF THE 2 – 2 DRAW AND PENALTY SHOOT-OUT AS A TESTAMENT TO THEIR PROGRESS AND BELIEF. HE ALSO DEFENDED MANCHESTER UNITED’S MANAGER RUBEN AMORIM SAYING THAT HE IS A “WORLD-CLASS MANAGER” WHO NEEDS TIME TO SUCCEED AT THE CLUB. 

BY AMANDA WATERS