The football world is still reeling from Manchester United’s shocking exit from the English League Cup. They lost to Grimsby Town, a team from the fourth division. This humiliating defeat sparked a fiery response from Gabby Agbonlahor. The former Aston Villa forward, now 38 years old, did not hold back. He aimed his sharp criticism at both United’s players and manager Ruben Amorim. Agbonlahor used a powerful word to describe them: “cowards.”
Agbonlahor didn’t mince words during his chat with talkSPORT. “When we talk about Manchester United today,” he began, “we think of pure shame. It’s a club full of pretenders, with no real team spirit, and certainly no leaders.” He pointed to a specific moment that perfectly summed up United’s sad state. He was talking about manager Ruben Amorim, who couldn’t even watch the penalty shootout. “I get it if it’s the last penalty in an FA Cup final or a Champions League decider,” Agbonlahor explained. “You might turn away then. But he avoided looking during the whole shootout! That’s just wild.”
The ex-England international felt deeply for the fans. He insisted that the team is a complete mess. “It really doesn’t matter who they sign,” Agbonlahor argued. “They could bring in players like Mbeumo, Matheus Cunha, and Sesko, but nothing will change.” He went further, suggesting a bold act of restitution. “For what they put the Manchester United fans through last night, those players should actually pay them back,” he declared. “They should cover the ticket costs, the travel, the food, and all their drinks.”
Agbonlahor believes United’s problems run deep, touching every part of the club. “They’re weak everywhere, from the defense to the attack,” he stated. “The board, the coaching staff, even the goalkeeper who can’t seem to catch a ball. It’s a mess.” Then he turned his attention to a specific incident involving the team’s ‘star’ striker, Sesko. This forward took the tenth penalty in the shootout. “How does your main striker let all the defenders take their penalties before him?” Agbonlahor questioned. “That tells you a lot about his character. And yes, he scored. But even that shows me he’s a coward too.” Agbonlahor stressed the weight of his words. “Many of those players are cowards,” he said. “I don’t say that word lightly. There’s nothing worse than calling a man a coward. It’s not just the players; the manager is one too.”