Grimsby Town welcome Premier League giants Manchester United to Blundell Park for their huge Carabao Cup second round clash on Wednesday night.
EFL Cup
Our Three Predictions For Grimsby Town vs Manchester United
- First Prediction: Manchester United To Win -2 Handicap – 13/10
- Second Prediction: Over 3.5 Goals – 11/10
- Third Prediction: Both Teams To Score – 11/10
First Prediction For Grimsby Town vs Manchester United – Manchester United To Win -2 Handicap – 13/10
Grimsby have really shown in the first few weeks of the season that they could be a force to be reckoned with in League Two this season. Unbeaten in all five of their opening league fixtures, they currently sit fourth in the table, one point behind leaders Crewe Alexandra. Impressive victories over the likes of Crawley Town and Walsall show they possess enough quality to compete for promotion, whilst they also dismantled Shrewsbury Town in the Carabao Cup first round to set up this blockbuster tie. This will be the first meeting between the two teams since 1948.
Manchester United’s woes on the pitch have been well documented and it’s fair to say that this isn’t the same team that dominated English football throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Manager Ruben Amorim still appears to be finding his feet since replacing Erik ten Hag last November, much to the frustration of Red Devils supporters. This is the first time they enter the League Cup at this stage since 2014, when they were embarrassed by MK Dons in a 4-0 drubbing. It’s hard to see a repeat here, but this will be a much-rotated Manchester United side we see at Blundell Park. Summer signing Benjamin Sesko could be handed his first start, whilst England internationals Harry Maguire and Kobbie Mainoo could be restored to the starting lineup.
This could be just the game to get their season up and running following their poor showing against Fulham on Sunday. Still, they were excellent against Arsenal on the opening day, despite losing 1-0 at Old Trafford. As a result, the attacking threat they possess with Sesko, plus the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo who could be introduced from the bench, could see the 20-time English champions run riot.
Second Prediction For Grimsby Town vs Manchester United – Over 3.5 Goals – 11/10
Grimsby head into this game averaging two goals a game, having scored 10 times in five outings. They put three past Crawley Town and Harrogate Town, as well as the same number against Shrewsbury Town in the Carabao Cup first round. However, they have shown glimpses of vulnerability at the back, none more so than the 3-3 draw with Harrogate. David Artell is likely to opt for a strong line up in this once in a lifetime fixture, but dealing with the attacking threat that Manchester United possess may be a tall task.
The Red Devils are yet to see any of their players score this season. They drew a blank against Arsenal whilst it was Fulham’s Rodrigo Muniz who put the ball in his own net in the 1-1 draw on Sunday. However, the game against the Gunners in particular was impressive, with Ruben Amorim’s side producing 22 shots on goal. No disrespect to Grimsby, but their defensive line isn’t the same calibre as the Gunners and this could be the ideal fixture to inject a bit of optimism into the 20-time English champions. It’s also likely we’ll see a first start for Benjamin Sesko, who scored 21 times for Bayer Leverkusen last season.
Third Prediction For Grimsby Town vs Manchester United – Both Teams To Score – 11/10
We’ve already touched on Grimsby’s prowess in front of goal and they’ll be confident of testing Manchester United here. It’s likely Ruben Amorim will make an array of changes, which could see Harry Maguire and youngster Ayden Heaven come in for a rare start. This may play into the hands of Jaze Kabia, who has four goals in six appearances already this season.
Despite United’s woes in front of goal, it would be a major shock if they weren’t to find the back of the net. We can look back to last season’s third round tie against League One’s Barnsley as an indicator of how they will intend to set their stall out. The Red Devils won that game 7-0, albeit all four goalscorers that night have either left the club or been frozen out. Still, Amorim has prioritised strengthening his attack this summer and he will view this as the perfect opportunity for his new stars to lay down the gauntlet.
Best Odds For Grimsby Town vs Manchester United
| Bookmaker | Grimsby Town | Draw | Manchester United |
| MyriadPlay | 11/1 | 6/1 | 4/25 |
| Gentleman Jim | 12/1 | 6/1 | 1/6 |
| Betarno | 11/1 | 6/1 | 2/11 |
Full Preview of the Game: Last Results and Head-To-Head
Grimsby have been on an upwards trajectory since the appointment of David Artell in November 2023. The Mariners missed out on a place in the League Two play-offs on the final day last season when they were defeated by eventual winners AFC Wimbledon. In truth, promotion would have probably come too soon for this team, but they look at if they are now ready to launch a serious assault on a top three finish. They remain unbeaten across six games in all competitions so far this season, having started the campaign in spectacular fashion with a 3-0 win over Crawley Town on the opening day. They followed that with a 3-3 draw against Harrogate Town before a comfortable 3-1 victory over Shrewsbury Town in the Carabao Cup first round. Back-to-back wins over Newport County and Walsall followed before they were held to a 1-1 draw at Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
Manchester United entered the campaign with a feeling of ‘it can’t get any worse’ after last season’s 15th placed finish. That was their lowest league position of the Premier League era and their worst since they suffered relegation from the old Division One in 1974. Their summer spending has been close to £200 million, with Benjamin Sesko, Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo arriving to bolster Ruben Amorim’s attacking options. Despite losing to Arsenal on the opening days, the early signs were positive. The Red Devils were largely praised for their performance, which saw them produce a staggering 22 shots. However, it was a case of one step forwards, two steps backwards when they travelled to Fulham on Sunday. Although they picked up their first point of the season, it was a contest in which they underwhelmed, raising yet more questions about the formation the manager insists on deploying.
This will be the first meeting between the two teams since 1948. Despite that, there has been 37 clashes between the pair, although 11 of those did come in the 19th century. Overall, Manchester United have 16 victories in this contest, Grimsby 15, whilst six have ended level.
Confrontation
Where To Watch Grimsby Town vs Manchester United
Where can I watch this game, either in person or on TV?
- Location: Blundell Park, Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, DN35 7PZ
- Date: August 27th, 2025
- TV Channel: ITV, Sky Sports Main Event, Sky Sports Football
Probable Lineups For Grimsby Town vs Manchester United
Predicted Grimsby Town Lineup
- Lineup: Pym; Rodgers, Warren, McJannett, Sweeney; McEachran; Burns, Turi, Khouri, Vernam; Kabia
- Injured/Suspended: Tharme, Green, Walker
- Manager: David Artell
Predicted Manchester United Lineup
- Lineup: Onana; Yoro, Maguire, Heaven; Dalot, Ugarte, Mainoo, Shaw; Mount, Zirkzee; Sesko
- Injured/Suspended: Martinez, Mazraoui
- Manager: Ruben Amorim
