Manchester United defender Diogo Dalot has issued a strong rebuke of his teammates following the club’s surprise Carabao Cup second-round elimination at the hands of League Two side Grimsby Town.
United trailed 2-0 before equalising, but were ultimately beaten 12-11 in a dramatic penalty shootout. Dalot was the only player to speak publicly after the defeat, describing the performance as “clearly not good enough.”
Speaking to BBC Sport, Dalot said: “I think we gave the game to them, clearly, straight away, exactly what they wanted. Win duels, second balls, set plays. We fought back, but that was the minimum we could show to the fans that travelled, for ourselves, and for the club. But clearly, it was not good enough.”
The Portugal international acknowledged Grimsby’s determination but stressed that United should have imposed their quality. “Credit also to them because they fought really hard and deserve to go through, but it shouldn’t be enough for them to win against us. We should have shown much more.”
When asked if United should have had enough to beat a lower-league opponent, Dalot replied: “Exactly. Not just the quality, but the minimum standards you ask in every game, the approach to the game. The best way for us to have respected Grimsby today was to come here and play 100 per cent. That’s what we need to improve for the future.”
The loss deepens concerns about United’s start to the season. They began with a 1-0 defeat to Arsenal, followed by a 1-1 draw with Fulham. Saturday’s home fixture against Burnley is now crucial as pressure mounts on manager Ruben Amorim.
Amorim, who was appointed in November last year, has faced criticism for persisting with a three-man defence despite poor results. He has won only 16 of his 45 matches in charge.
United’s failure to qualify for European competition after finishing 15th in the Premier League last season means they have only domestic fixtures to focus on until January’s FA Cup campaign. This has increased scrutiny on their league form.
The defeat to Grimsby has been widely described in the British press as one of United’s most embarrassing cup exits in recent memory, drawing comparisons with past early eliminations suffered by Premier League giants against lower-league opposition.
With fans voicing frustration and pundits questioning Amorim’s tactical flexibility, the coming weeks are likely to prove decisive for both the manager and his squad.
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