Eliminated from the League Cup in the second round by Grimsby Town after a penalty shootout in the early hours of August 28, what stings even more is that Manchester United were dominated for most of the match by a lower-division opponent.
The limitations of Ruben Amorim’s system are pushing the “Red Devils” into a dead end. The problem is that the Portuguese manager shows no intention of changing.
Amorim at Fault
If a loss to a big team can still be excused by a gap in class, conceding a 2-0 lead to Grimsby Town is truly a slap in the face to Manchester United’s pride. And what angered supporters most was not just the result, but the way United were suffocated by an inferior side.
Amorim, with his favored philosophy of five defenders and two central midfielders, once again displayed a baffling stubbornness. That formation had already been questioned last season when United sank into the bottom half of the table, yet the Portuguese coach insists on repeating it.
The result is a constricted midfield, fragile possession, and a slow, predictable build-up. It was easy to see that Grimsby had prepared thoroughly: pressing high, exploiting space behind the wing-backs, and capitalizing on United’s clumsy attempts to play out from the back.
Previously, Fulham coach Marco Silva had already exposed the flaws in United’s approach. After a 1-1 draw in the second round of the 2025/26 Premier League, he remarked:
“We know how they defend and how they push up with a back five. You can create overloads in midfield to neutralize their pressing.”
“United play with only two midfielders, so we tried to overload with three plus Iwobi drifting inside to make it four. That’s all there is to it,” he added.
It seems everyone knows how to counter United’s structure—except Amorim himself.
In the League Cup tie, goalkeeper Onana made two major errors that turned him into the direct villain. Dalot, Ugarte, and Fredricson all underperformed. But the deeper issue was that the system offered no protection for them; instead, it only magnified their weaknesses.
A big club needs a tactical structure to shield individuals, turning weaknesses into collective strength. At United, the system is a burden. Aside from the center-backs, almost no one is used in their best position.
The question is: why doesn’t Amorim try something else? A back four and a dynamic midfield three could bring more balance—especially with Bruno Fernandes, a player who thrives in a clear structure that maximizes his creativity.
Clinging blindly to his “favorite” system is like tying his own hands. As many fans bitterly commented: “If you let Grimsby dominate you, the problem isn’t just the players—it’s the system.”
Amorim Must Change
The comparisons are inevitable. Look at Thomas Frank at Tottenham or Arne Slot at Liverpool: they adapt to the squad, building a system around the strengths of their players.
Amorim does the opposite, forcing players to bend to a rigid framework. Modern football, where speed and flexibility reign supreme, has no room for such extreme conservatism.
Ironically, this defeat took the scapegoat tag off Bruno Fernandes. With the whole system collapsing, it is difficult to single out any one player. But that only proves the problem at United runs deeper—at the very core of the manager’s philosophy.
Let’s not forget that last season Amorim’s United sank to 15th place in the Premier League, ending in utter disappointment. Now, just a few matches into the new campaign, the team is once again in crisis, despite heavy investment in the transfer market. Fans’ patience is running thin, and Amorim’s time is running out.
The upcoming clash against Burnley on August 30 in the third round of the Premier League is nothing short of a “do-or-die” battle. Even a narrow win may not suffice to calm supporters. What they want is a visible change—a clear plan, a sign that Amorim knows how to adapt instead of repeating past mistakes.
The humiliation against Grimsby is not just a temporary shock. It is a warning: if United continue to be stuck in conservatism, Old Trafford will cease to be a fortress and instead become a theater of painful defeats.
Amorim must change, immediately—for the Red Devils cannot remain a shadow of themselves, nor allow their pride to be buried at the hands of lower-league opponents.