Manchester United eliminated from EFL Cup by Grimsby Town: How many times have they lost to fourth division teams?

The 2025–26 season couldn’t have started worse for Manchester United. They have yet to win in the Premier League, and on Wednesday, they suffered a historic defeat to Grimsby Town that saw them eliminated from the EFL Cup.

The English Football League Cup (also known as the Carabao Cup for sponsorship reasons) is a knockout tournament that brings together 92 teams from the top four divisions of England, and has been played since 1960. In the second round, the Red Devils appeared to have a straightforward task ahead of them, facing a club currently competing in League Two — the fourth tier of English soccer.

But things didn’t go as expected, and by the 30th minute, they were already trailing 2–0 after surprise goals from Charles Vernam and Tyrell Warren. However, after the break, Ruben Amorim’s side responded and leveled the score with goals from Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire, the latter in the final minute of the match. In the penalty shootout, luck went the hosts’ way.

Grimsby Town’s historic win marks Manchester United’s worst elimination in their 65 years competing in the EFL Cup. While they had previously lost to lower-league clubs on several occasions, they had never been defeated by a team from the fourth division — until now.

Manchester United’s worst eliminations in the EFL Cup

Wednesday’s match against Grimsby Town will go down in Manchester United’s history as one of the club’s most humiliating defeats. However, the Red Devils have previously suffered unexpected exits in the EFL Cup against teams far below their level.

One of the most notable recent examples came in the 2014–15 season, when then-third division side Milton Keynes Dons F.C. stunned Louis van Gaal’s squad with a 4–0 win to advance to the third round of the tournament.

Further back, the Red Devils were also knocked out by third-tier teams in other editions of the EFL Cup — including York City in the 1995–96 season, Oxford United in 1983–84, Watford in 1978–79, Bristol Rovers in 1972–73, and Bradford City in 1960–61.

How many times have Manchester United won the EFL Cup?

With the loss to Grimsby Town, Manchester United’s Carabao Cup title drought will extend to three years. They are the third-most successful club in the tournament’s history with six titles — trailing only Liverpool (10) and Manchester City (8). The Red Devils’ previous EFL Cup titles came in 1991–92, 2005–06, 2008–09, 2009–10, 2016–17, and 2022–23.