Grimsby Town Stun Manchester United in Historic Carabao Cup Defeat.
In a night that will be etched into the annals of football history, fourth-tier Grimsby Town pulled off a monumental upset by eliminating Premier League giants Manchester United from the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, 27 August 2025. The League Two side triumphed 12-11 in an epic penalty shootout after a thrilling 2-2 draw at Blundell Park, marking one of the most shocking results in the competition’s history.
The match began with Grimsby, unbeaten in their opening five League Two matches this season, displaying fearless intent against a Manchester United side desperate for their first win of the campaign. The hosts stunned the Red Devils early, taking a 2-0 lead within 30 minutes. Charles Vernam opened the scoring in the 22nd minute, capitalising on a defensive error to fire a low shot past goalkeeper Andre Onana. Eight minutes later, Tyrell Warren doubled the advantage, pouncing on a loose ball from a corner after another Onana blunder, sending the 9,000-capacity stadium into raptures.
Manchester United, under pressure following a winless start to the Premier League season, responded in the second half with manager Ruben Amorim making key substitutions, including captain Bruno Fernandes and new signing Bryan Mbeumo. Mbeumo pulled one back in the 75th minute with a curling effort, before Harry Maguire’s last-gasp header in the 89th minute forced the tie into a penalty shootout. However, the drama was far from over.
In an extraordinary shootout that saw all 11 players from both sides take a spot-kick, Grimsby’s resilience shone through. Despite United’s Matheus Cunha missing a crucial penalty in the fifth round, the shootout extended to sudden death. After 26 penalties, Mbeumo’s second attempt struck the crossbar, sparking wild celebrations as Grimsby fans invaded the pitch to mark their team’s historic victory. Grimsby goalkeeper Christy Pym’s save on Cunha and the team’s composure were pivotal, with manager David Artell praising his players’ technical and psychological strength.
Artell, speaking to ITV, described the night as the culmination of 18 months of hard work, saying, “This group wants to get better every day. We told them the pressure was on United, and they delivered.” Grimsby, currently fourth in League Two, now advance to face Sheffield Wednesday in the third round, a tie that promises further excitement for the Mariners’ passionate supporters.
For Manchester United, the defeat represents a new low under Amorim, who admitted post-match, “The best team won.” The Portuguese manager, already under scrutiny after a 15th-place finish in the Premier League last season, apologised to fans, stating, “I’m really sorry for the support they gave me. We have to solve things out.” Critics, including former player Louis Saha, labelled United’s first-half performance “shambolic,” with particular focus on Onana’s errors.
The result marks the first time Manchester United have been knocked out of a cup competition by a fourth-division side, adding to their woes in a season already marred by inconsistency. Grimsby’s victory, their first over United since the 1947-48 season, underscores the magic of the cup and the enduring spirit of lower-league football. As fans lingered at Blundell Park long after the final whistle, the night was hailed as one of the greatest in the club’s history, with chief executive Polly Bancroft noting the game could have sold out the stadium three times over.