Manchester United’s Carabao Cup fixture with Grimsby Town has become even more dramatic than first through when the League Two side emerged victorious over The Red Devils.
United were heading into the game yet to grab a win this season, hoping the cup fixture with Grimsby could give them their first taste of glory this season.
However, Grimsby came out fighting, grabbing two goals in the first 30 minutes, putting Ruben Amorim’s men on the back foot.
Finally Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire levelled the game by the final whistle, however it wasn’t enough to escape the dreaded penalty shoot-out where unfortunately, on United’s 13th penalty, Mbeumo failed to convert, with United crashing out of the competition.
However, the drama hasn’t stopped there, as it’s emerged that Grimsby fielded an illegible player as Clarke Odour was registered for the tournament a minute after the deadline.
In a statement, the EFL issued the club’s punishment, saying: “The EFL Board, acting as the Management Committee of the Carabao Cup, has today fined Grimsby Town Football Club £20,000 – of which £10,000 will be suspended until the end of Season 2025/26 – for having breached the Rules of the competition.”
The fine was deemed punishment enough, with Grimsby being allowed to continue in the Carabao Cup, uncontested by Manchester United, as: “The Board further noted the Club’s non-compliance was not deliberate with no intention to deceive or mislead.”
Now, despite the controversy, Manchester Evening News has reported that Grimsby Town manager David Artell has praised his side for their performance.
Speaking on BBC Radio Humberside, the League Two boss commented: “The club has made a statement and I refer them to the statement.”
He continued: “From my point of view as head coach, no one can take away that performance. Nobody can.
“We were the better team for 70 minutes or for 75 minutes. We should have been 3-0 regardless of everything else that has gone off since, and I am extremely proud of the performance of the players, all of the players. I thought we deserved to win the game.
“What happens surrounding that isn’t in my domain [to say] but, like I say, nobody can take away the performance of the players and the manner of the victory, certainly not in my eyes anyway.
“What happened was unfortunate, we owned up, made a statement, let everyone know and we move on.”
