Manchester United vs Sabah: Champions League Return at Old Trafford

Manchester United Face Sabah in Champions League Opener

Manchester United make their eagerly awaited return to the Champions League on Thursday evening, hosting Azerbaijani newcomers Sabah at Old Trafford. This marks the first competitive encounter between these two sides.

Under Michael Carrick's management, Manchester United missed out on European competition entirely last season for the first time since 2014-15. Now back in the Champions League after a three-year absence, they arrive following a dramatic 2-2 draw against Everton. Despite taking the lead twice, a late equalizer by Ainsley Maitland-Niles left them 11th in the Premier League with four points from three matches.

Sabah, by contrast, enter this fixture brimming with confidence. They secured six wins in eight qualifying matches to reach the group stage for the first time in their history and recently crushed Zira 5-0 domestically, featuring a hat-trick from Joy-Lance Mickels.

Match Details

• Date: Thursday, 10 September 2026
• Kick-off: 20:00 BST
• Venue: Old Trafford
• Referee: Willy Delajod (France)
• Last Meeting: First competitive clash

Team News

Injuries continue to affect United as Matthijs de Ligt (back), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Amad Diallo (ankle), and Tom Heaton (hamstring) remain sidelined. Marcus Rashford is being monitored after a muscular issue forced him off against Everton but is expected to be available. With the Manchester derby looming on Sunday, Carrick is likely to rotate his squad, potentially recalling Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, and Andrey Santos.

Sabah boast a fully fit squad for their maiden Champions League group game. Joy-Lance Mickels, who has netted eight goals in 11 appearances this season, will spearhead the attack alongside Veljko Simic. Kaheem Parris is also expected to start under coach Valdas Dambrauskas.

Recent Form

United have struggled in recent Champions League group matches, winning just once in their last seven with four defeats. Their latest Premier League performance ended in a 2-2 draw at Everton, leaving them five points behind leaders Manchester City. The last time they advanced past the group stage was in 2021-22, when Atletico Madrid knocked them out in the round of 16.

Sabah have impressed through qualifiers, winning six out of eight games and recording four clean sheets en route to their debut in the league phase. They join Como, LASK, and Viking as new entrants this season. Domestically, they top the Azerbaijan Premier League after winning all three opening fixtures, including a dominant 5-0 victory over Zira.

Predicted Lineups

• Manchester United: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Mazraoui; Santos, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
• Sabah: Pokatilov; Solvet, Dashdamirov, Puchacz, Zedadka; Rakhmonaliev, Isaev, Lepinjica, Parris; Mickels, Simic

Broadcast Information

The match will air live across the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with streaming accessible via HBO Max.