Manchester United's season has lurched into crisis following a humiliating defeat at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup. The Red Devils, managed by Ruben Amorim, were eliminated after a dramatic 12-11 penalty shootout loss at Blundell Park, a stadium with a capacity of just 9,000. The result has sent shockwaves through the club and raised serious questions about Amorim's future.

The defeat to Grimsby is undoubtedly one of the most embarrassing in Manchester United's history. United, a team boasting a squad filled with international players and costing hundreds of millions of pounds, struggled against a team three divisions below them. The starting XI alone had 711 Premier League appearances between them, highlighting the gulf in experience and, on paper, quality.

Grimsby took a commanding 2-0 lead in the first half with goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren. Vernam opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, followed by Warren eight minutes later, compounding United's misery. United's new signing, Bryan Mbeumo, making his first start of the season, scored in the 75th minute to reduce the deficit. Harry Maguire then equalized in the 89th minute, salvaging a 2-2 draw and forcing a penalty shootout.

The penalty shootout was a marathon affair, with both teams trading successful spot-kicks. Matheus Cunha had a chance to win it for United, but his penalty was saved. Ultimately, it was Mbeumo who missed the decisive penalty, hitting the crossbar to send Grimsby through.

Amorim made eight changes to the starting lineup for the Grimsby game, with only Amad, Patrick Chinazaekpere Dorgu, and Matheus Cunha retaining their places from the previous match against Fulham. Andre Onana made his first appearance of the season in goal, while Harry Maguire captained a new-look back three.

Before the match, Amorim admitted that Manchester United were not ready for European football this season. Citing the team's slow start to the Premier League season, Amorim stated that focusing on domestic competitions could benefit the squad in the long term. This statement, coupled with the defeat to Grimsby, has only intensified the pressure on the Portuguese manager.

The loss to Grimsby restricts Manchester United to one realistic option for silverware this season: the FA Cup. Amorim apologized to the fans for the humiliating defeat, stating that the players "were not even here" in the first half. He also suggested that the players had effectively communicated their lack of desire to compete against a fourth-tier team.

The defeat raises serious questions about Ruben Amorim's leadership and his ability to turn things around at Manchester United. After the game, Amorim stated, "This is the limit," blasting the team's performance. The result has left fans and pundits alike wondering if he is the right man to lead the club forward.