Manchester United Welcomes Sabah for Champions League Return at Old Trafford
Manchester United's Champions League Return
Manchester United resumes its Champions League journey after a three-year absence, hosting Sabah, the Azerbaijani side making their group-stage debut. The clash takes place Thursday at Old Trafford, marking the first competitive encounter between these clubs.
Current Context
Last season, United missed out on European football entirely, an occurrence not seen since 2014-15. Recently, Michael Carrick’s squad earned a 2-2 draw against Everton, a game where they led twice before conceding a late equaliser by Ainsley Maitland-Niles. This result leaves them in 11th place in the Premier League with four points from three matches.
Meanwhile, Sabah enters this fixture brimming with confidence after dominating six of eight qualifiers to reach the Champions League group stage for the first time. Their latest domestic performance was a commanding 5-0 victory over Zira, propelled by Joy-Lance Mickels' hat-trick.
Match Details
- Date: Thursday, 10 September 2026
- Kick-off: 20:00 BST
- Venue: Old Trafford
- Referee: Willy Delajod (France)
- Previous meetings: None; first encounter
Team News
Manchester United faces several absences with Matthijs de Ligt (back), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Amad Diallo (ankle), and Tom Heaton (hamstring) sidelined. Marcus Rashford is under assessment after a muscular issue but should be available. Considering the upcoming Manchester derby, Carrick might rotate his lineup, possibly recalling Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, and Andrey Santos.
Sabah boasts a fully fit squad. Joy-Lance Mickels, who has netted eight times in 11 games this season, will spearhead their attack alongside Veljko Simic. Kaheem Parris is also expected to start under coach Valdas Dambrauskas.
Form Guide
Manchester United have managed just one victory in their last seven Champions League group games, suffering four defeats. Their last advancement beyond the group phase was in the 2021-22 season, when Atletico Madrid ended their run in the round of 16. They currently trail Premier League leaders Manchester City by five points.
Sabah excelled through the qualifiers, winning six of eight matches and securing four clean sheets. They are among four teams debuting in this season's group stage, joining Como, LASK, and Viking. At home, they lead the Azerbaijan Premier League after three straight wins.
Predicted Starting 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 in the UK on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with streaming accessible via HBO Max.
