Bruno Fernandes rushed to the aid of Bryan Mbeumo after the Man United forward missed the decisive penalty in their embarrassing Carabao Cup defeat by Grimsby.
United were eliminated in the second round 12-11 on penalties by the League Two side after an epic shoot-out, but they were lucky to even get that far following a dismal display.
First half goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren put the League Two side on course for a major shock – and they had a further two strikes disallowed – before Mbeumo and Harry Maguire hit back.
There was a slight improvement in the second half from United, but when the former Brentford star missed his spot kick, it capped another nadir in Amorim’s United tenure.
Grimsby fans invaded the Blundell Park pitch in celebration and swarmed several of their players.
But they also surrounded United’s stars and a devastated Mbeumo was seen walking off the pitch as home supporters goaded him.
Bruno Fernandes rushed to the aid of Bryan Mbeumo after he missed the decisive spot kick as Man United were knocked out of the Carabao Cup on penalties by League Two Grimsby
Fernandes went to Mbeumo’s aid after his fellow United team-mates headed off the pitch
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But United captain Fernandes aided his team-mate as he helped to escort him off the pitch in amongst the chaos, with other security guards flanking the pair.
Other clips circulating on social media also showed Fernandes’ leadership, with one highlighting how the rest of the United squad had quickly left the pitch and gone down the tunnel.
But the Portuguese midfielder headed towards Mbeumo in the direction of on-rushing fans and made sure to grab his team-mate and help him off the pitch.
Meanwhile, following the dismal defeat, United boss Ruben Amorim apologised to supporters, before he also aimed a dig at his side.
‘I just have to say sorry to our fans,’ said Amorim. ‘The way we started the game, we were not even here. When everything is so important in our club, everything that happened, it’s a problem in our club, we should do so much better.
‘In the penalties, the feeling is the same. I think football was really fair today – the best team won.
‘It should be my job to understand what happened. Again, I’m really sorry for our fans.
Mbeumo’s effort had struck the bar as Grimsby secured a memorable Carabao Cup upset
It was another dismal night for Fernandes and his team-mates during Ruben Amorim’s tenure
‘The support that they have given me, always with all of the defeats they always help the team. Today I have nothing to say. I am really sorry. It’s too much sometimes.
‘I think the best team won, the only team that was on the pitch. The best players lose because one team can win against any group of players, and I think the team and the players spoke really loud today, so that’s it.’
Having repeated several times that his United players ‘spoke really loud’, Amorim was asked what he meant by the comment.
‘I think it’s really clear what they spoke, so let’s move on from this day,’ he replied. ‘I think it was clear for everybody what happened today.
‘The way we start the game without any intensity, all the idea of the pressure, we were completely lost and that’s why I think they spoke really loud.
‘That is more than a result. That is the biggest problem in the team. I think it was really clear today.
‘You cannot change everything in one summer. You need to win games. You need to not show this kind of performance.
‘I think this is a little bit the limit. I think something has to change. In this moment, we need to focus on the weekend and then we have time to think.’
