Manchester United’s shock Carabao Cup exit at the hands of League Two side Grimsby has left pressure mounting on Ruben Amorim.
The Portuguese coach apologised to fans in the aftermath and faces what have been described as “showdown talks” over his future in the coming days.
The chaos of the penalty shootout only deepened that sense of unease.
Fans were left baffled as £73.7m forward Benjamin Sesko, signed this summer as a marquee attacking addition, was the final outfield player to step up.
Many questioned why he had not been among the first or second takers, with social media flooded by confusion at his late appearance in the order.
When Sesko did eventually step forward, he calmly slotted his kick to level things at 9-9 in the marathon shootout, but the decision-making behind his placement remained a mystery.
Now the reason has been revealed.
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According to BBC Sport’s report, sources explained that Sesko had been battling cramp in the closing stages of extra time.
It was his first competitive 90 minutes since April 19, and the heavy, rain-drenched pitch at Blundell Park had taken its toll.
As a result, United staff decided to place him later in the order to ensure he felt ready when his moment came.
A decision that didn’t exactly come back to bite United, despite the Red Devils being on the losing side.
The defeat was yet another reminder of United’s lack of control under Amorim, with the team again relying on moments of individual brilliance rather than his patterns of play.
Supporters voiced concerns about his rigid 3-4-3 system, which struggled to adapt against the lower-league opposition on a rain-soaked night.
The clarification of Sesko’s late penalty decision may ease some of the speculation.
But it won’t soften the wider reality – Amorim’s position remains fragile, and United’s cup humiliation has only added fuel to the fire.
