The 2025–26 season couldn’t have started worse for Manchester United. They have yet to win in the Premier League, and on Wednesday, they suffered a historic defeat to Grimsby Town that saw them eliminated from the EFL Cup.
The English Football League Cup (also known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons) is a knockout tournament that brings together 92 teams from the top four divisions of England, and has been played since 1960. In the second round, the Red Devils appeared to have a straightforward task ahead of them, facing a club currently competing in League Two — the fourth tier of English soccer.
But things didn’t go as expected, and by the 30th minute, they were already trailing 2–0 after surprise goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren. However, after the break, Ruben Amorim’s side responded and leveled the score with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire, the latter in the final minute of the match. In the penalty shootout, luck went the hosts’ way.
Grimsby Town’s historic win marks Manchester United’s worst elimination in their 65 years competing in the EFL Cup. While they had previously lost to lower-league clubs on several occasions, they had never been defeated by a team from the fourth division — until now.
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