Ex-Chelsea and Blackburn Striker Chris Sutton Points at The Error Amorim Made Last Night Against Grimsby

Ex-Chelsea and Blackburn Striker Chris Sutton Points at The Error Amorim Made Last Night Against Grimsby

Ruben Amorim’s words seem to paint a picture of a side that isn’t fully settled, but former Chelsea and Blackburn forward Chris Sutton believes the problem ran deeper than the players on the pitch. To him, the chaos at Blundell Park was the by-product of a manager’s miscalculation.

Grimsby Town’s stunning Carabao Cup triumph over Manchester United has been described in many ways as a fairytale, a humiliation, and a warning shot, but Sutton focused firmly on Amorim’s decision-making.

The Portuguese coach rotated heavily, making eight changes to his starting eleven, a move Sutton argued destabilised the team and opened the door for an upset.

“Last season [Ruben Amorim] said it was the worst ever Manchester United team, well this is one of the worst defeats in the club’s history, whether it was on penalties or not,” Sutton said, emphasising the weight of the defeat.

United had shown signs of fragility in their opening league fixtures, and Sutton pointed out that Amorim’s insistence on resting key players only compounded that instability.

“They started the season losing to Arsenal with an OK display, but had issues over the goalkeeper, then drawing at Fulham, when they played OK. But now, everybody is going to look at this defeat against Grimsby… that’s a hell of a bad result for Amorim.”

The former striker didn’t hold back on where he felt the United boss went wrong. “His judgement comes into question because if I was Ruben Amorim, there is not a prayer I would have made eight changes. I would have played my strongest team, tried to put the game to bed and then made the changes. That was an error from him, in my book.”

The worry for Amorim, Sutton warned, is that this wasn’t the kind of defeat that fades quickly. Instead, it lingers, casting doubt on his authority and magnifying the pressure around Old Trafford. “I think he will struggle to come back from this because people will hold this against him,” Sutton said.

And the fixture list offers no respite. With Burnley on the horizon, followed swiftly by a Manchester derby and a clash with Chelsea, the Portuguese coach faces a brutal stretch of games under intense scrutiny. “The pressure this season for Amorim now is well and truly on,” Sutton added. “Blimey, if I were him, I am officially worried.”

Grimsby’s victory will forever be remembered as one of their greatest nights. As for United, though, it risks being remembered as the night that left Amorim’s tenure teetering, with a pundit’s blunt assessment of his managerial misstep echoing loudest of all.