Fleetwood Town could not resist taking a playful swipe at Manchester United after booking their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup while Michael Carrick’s side suffered a painful early exit.

The League Two club advanced to the last 16 with a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United on Wednesday night, sealing a historic fourth-round meeting with Arsenal.

Just hours later, United were dumped out of the competition after throwing away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 at home to Brighton.

Fleetwood Town take aim at Man United

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Following United’s defeat, Fleetwood posted on X:

“Just a reminder: Town have gone further in this year’s League Cup than Manchester United. 👍”

Just a reminder: Town have gone further in this year’s League Cup than Manchester United. 👍

— Fleetwood Town Football Club (@ftfc) September 16, 2026

It was a simple post, but one that landed because of how dramatically different the two clubs’ evenings had been.

Fleetwood reached the fourth round for the first time in their history after Rhys Norrington-Davies’ own goal in the 57th minute proved decisive against Championship side Sheffield United. Their reward is a home tie against Premier League champions Arsenal.

United, meanwhile, looked to be heading comfortably through when Shea Lacey and Mason Mount
put them 2-0 ahead inside 10 minutes at Old Trafford.

Instead, Brighton completed a remarkable comeback through Charalampos Kostoulas, Pascal Gross and Maxim De Cuyper.

The result also created an unwanted piece of history for United. It was the first time in 50 years they had lost a home match after leading by two goals, the previous occasion coming against Tottenham in 1976.

A joke that highlights a bigger problem at United

(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

Fleetwood’s tweet was clearly intended as light-hearted trolling, but it also underlined just how damaging United’s cup exit was.

A club with United’s resources and ambitions should expect to compete deep into domestic competitions, yet they are already out of the Carabao Cup before the fourth round. Even more frustratingly, Brighton made six changes and still recovered from 2-0 down.

For Fleetwood, the comparison is something to enjoy. A League Two side are preparing to welcome Arsenal in the last 16 while one of England’s biggest clubs watches from home.

For United, however, the joke cuts deeper because it reflects their current reality. Carrick’s side have now lost three of their first six matches in all competitions, and their inability to control games once momentum shifts is becoming a recurring concern.

Fleetwood may have delivered the punchline, but Man United gave them the material.

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