Manchester United Cannot Reclaim League Cup: EFL Decides Not to Disqualify Grimsby.

According to The Sun: Manchester United will not be reinstated in the Carabao Cup, despite Grimsby fielding an ineligible player.

The Red Devils suffered a humiliating defeat, losing to a League Two team last Wednesday.

After 90 minutes, the score was tied at 2-2, and penalties decided the match's fate at Blundell Park.

Grimsby won the thrilling encounter 12-11 in the penalty shootout, knocking Manchester United out of the cup in an unusual manner.

However, a major controversy arose: Grimsby player Clark Oduor came onto the field despite being ineligible.

He came on as a substitute and took a penalty in the shootout but was the only Grimsby player to miss his shot.

Why Was Clark Oduor Unable to Play?

Oduor, 26, joined Grimsby on a season-long loan from Bradford City on August 26.

Just 24 hours after that, he debuted for his new team in a match against Manchester United, coming on as a substitute in the 73rd minute.

But he should not have played, as he registered for the match one minute after the EFL deadline of 12:00 the day before the game.

His ineligibility was not detected immediately due to a 'computer issue' faced by the club.

The club self-reported the EFL error.

Why Couldn't Manchester United Reclaim the Carabao Cup?

Grimsby was not excluded from the tournament, and thus Manchester United does not occupy their place.

As a penalty, the EFL imposed a fine of £20,000 on Grimsby, of which £10,000 is suspended until the end of the 2025/26 season.

The EFL's decision was made following a 'thorough review of all the evidence considered and previous precedents'.

Significantly, had this infraction occurred in the FA Cup, Grimsby would have been excluded from the tournament, and United could have taken their place.

Barnsley was excluded from the tournament in 2023 for fielding an ineligible player against Horsham, while a team from a non-league was reinstated.

In a similar case, Guernsey was excluded from this year's FA Cup for playing an ineligible player against Bedfont in the previous round.

What Was Grimsby and Manchester United's Reaction?

In a statement, Grimsby said: “Following this incident, we conducted a thorough review of our processes and implemented enhanced measures to ensure this does not happen again.”

“We thank the EFL board for recognizing our cooperation and intent, and we remain fully committed to upholding the highest professional and regulatory standards.”

The EFL added: “The board also noted that the club's failure was not intentional and did not aim to deceive or mislead.”

“The club is taking several measures to prevent similar situations in the future.”

“The club will be responsible for the suspended amount of £10,000 if it fields an ineligible player in any league competition until the end of the 2025/26 season.”

Manchester United declined to comment on the situation and may appeal the decision.