Amorim throws ‘completely lost’ Man Utd players under the bus as ‘one team on the pitch’
Ruben Amorim insists Grimsby were “the only team on the pitch” as Manchester United were dumped out of the League Cup after losing to the League Two side on penalties.
The side three divisions and 56 places below United were 2-0 up after half an hour, with goalkeeper Andre Onana allowing Charles Vernam’s fierce drive under his body on the angle amid an absence of defending from his teammates, before flapping at a cross to gift Tyrell Warren a tap in.
Amorim rang the changes at half-time, with captain Bruno Fernandes, Matthijs de Ligt and Bryan Mbeumo all coming on, but Grimsby probably would have been three goals to the good had VAR been available, as Harry Maguire’s intervention ahead of an offside call appeared to be a deliberate attempt to play the ball rather than a deflection which led the linesman to raise his flag.
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It was Maguire who took the game to a penalty shootout with a typical last-gasp header when United needed him most after Mbeumo had brought them back into the game with a fine dribble and finish.
But it was Mbeumo who ended up missing the crucial penalty to hand Grimsby victory after fellow summer signing Matheus Cunha also missed from the spot.
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And having rocked from side to side on the bench throughout the shootout, Amorim didn’t hold back in his criticism of the United players after the game, insisting they “spoke really loudly today” and “were completely lost”.
He told Sky Sports: “In the end, it doesn’t matter if we recover or not, it’s the signs the team gave during the game, the beginning of the game. I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. The best players lose because one team can win against any group of players, and I think the team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it. We lost, the best team won.”
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Asked for clarification, Amorim added: “I think it’s really clear what they spoke, so let’s move on from this day and I think it was clear for everybody what happened today.”
“The way we start the game without any intensity, all the idea of the pressure, we were completely lost and that’s why I think they spoke really loud.”
