Bruno Fernandes protects Mbeumo after deciding penalty miss

MANCHESTER UNITED star Bruno Fernandes showed his class with an incredible gesture after Bryan Mbeumo's penalty miss against Grimsby.

The Red Devils were subjected to a humiliating League Cup exit to the League Two side who sit 58 PLACES lower than United in the English football pyramid.

Fernandes and Mbeumo both came on at halftime to change the tide of the game after seeing the starting XI Ruben Amorim had put out fall 2-0 behind inside 30 minutes.

Mbeumo eventually managed to get through the Mariners' blockade in the 75th minute - becoming the first United player to register a goal this season - before Harry Maguire headed home an equaliser.

However, an incredible penalty shootout that lasted 18 minutes ended 12-11 in favour of Grimsby.

Mbeumo had scored his first penalty as the second taker, but after fellow new signing Matheus Cunha missed the would-be winner at penalty five, both teams became flawless from 12 yards.

But the 26-year-old crashed his kick against the bar the second time around, sending United out of the Cup.

Immediately after he missed, jubilant Grimsby supporters rushed on to the pitch to celebrate.

But in footage captured by SunSport, Fernandes, 30, put his own disappointment to the side and rushed over to comfort his team-mate as fans swarmed around them on their walk to the Blundell Park player tunnel.

The club captain scored twice in the Grimsby shootout as the first and 12th taker, but had missed his spot kick against Fulham at the weekend as United went on to draw 1-1.

Manchester United face Burnley in the Premier League next, but boss Amorim already appears to have washed his hands of his flops, with his post-match comments appearing to suggest he has lost the dressing room.

He said: "In the end, it doesn't matter if we recover or not, it's the signs the team gave during the game, the beginning of the game.

"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. We lost, the best team won...

"I think it's really clear what they spoke, so let's move on from this day and 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."

The 40-year-old also issued an apology to fans: "When you lose but see something new, it's different. When you see something like today, it's hard to talk about that.

"I just want to say I'm really sorry for the fans. The support they gave me, with all the support they help the team. I have nothing to say. I'm really sorry."