Manchester United head coach, Ruben Amorim, has defended under-fire goalkeeper Andre Onana following their embarrassing Carabao Cup exit to fourth-tier side Grimsby Town on Wednesday night.

United were dumped out of the competition after a penalty shoot-out defeat at Blundell Park, but much of the criticism centered on Onana, who endured another difficult evening between the sticks.

The Cameroon international was beaten at his near post by Charles Vernam’s opener, before completely misjudging a corner that allowed Tyrell Warren to double Grimsby’s lead.

Asked afterwards whether United have a goalkeeping problem, Amorim dismissed the notion, insisting the blame lay elsewhere:

“With all due respect, when you play against a fourth-division team, it is not the goalkeeper, it is everything.
It is the environment, it is the way we face the competition. We know that at the moment, everything people will pay attention to will be everything. It is going to be massive, every detail.
We show that performance today, so my players spoke, for me, really loud.”

Opinion: Onana’s Woes Highlight a Bigger Issue at United

There’s no escaping the fact that Andre Onana has struggled for consistency since his high-profile move to Old Trafford. From high-profile errors in the Champions League last season to nervy moments this campaign, the spotlight has rarely been kind.

But Amorim is right about one thing — this defeat was not just about the goalkeeper. Manchester United looked complacent, disjointed, and uninspired against a team they should have beaten comfortably. In truth, it was a collective failure of mentality and application.

Still, the pressure on Onana will not ease. Goalkeepers live in a cruel reality: their mistakes are magnified, and their confidence is often dictated by fine margins. For United fans, patience is running thin — they want a reliable presence, not another storyline.

The real question is whether Amorim can rebuild not just Onana’s confidence, but also the squad’s competitive edge. If Manchester United cannot approach every competition with the seriousness it deserves, even the so-called “small teams” will continue to punish them.

For now, Onana has Amorim’s public backing — but whether he has the fans’ trust is a battle yet to be won.