Manchester United Gear Up for Champions League Match Against Sabah
Manchester United were back on the grass at Carrington this morning, sharpening up for a European night that carries more weight than the name of the opposition might suggest.
The Red Devils launch their Champions League campaign tomorrow at Old Trafford, hosting reigning Azerbaijan champions Sabah in an 8pm kick-off. On paper, it looks gentle enough. Their own form and Sabah’s start to the season say otherwise.
Contrasting form as Europe looms
Sabah arrive in Manchester full of confidence. Three league games played, eight goals scored, none conceded. They have not been troubled yet.
United, by contrast, have lurched through the early weeks of the Premier League. One win, one draw, one defeat. Two goals conceded in every game. Two of those matches came against newly-promoted Ipswich Town and Hull City, hardly the sort of opposition expected to repeatedly cut them open.
Michael Carrick knows the numbers. He also knows what a flat European performance at home can do to the mood around the club. A strong, assertive display on Thursday is not a luxury; it is a requirement.
Carrick’s selection puzzle
Carrick’s options are still shaped by injuries and managed returns, but today’s session offered a clearer picture of who will be available.
Amad Diallo remains sidelined as he recovers from the minor issue picked up in pre-season. Matthijs de Ligt is yet to fully rejoin the group, still working his way back from the back injury that ended his 2025/26 campaign last November.
Even so, Carrington was busy. Players present in training this morning included:
- Goalkeepers: Lammens, Darlow, Mee, Honor.
- Defenders: Dalot, Mazraoui, Maguire, Yoro, Heaven, Martinez, Amass.
- Midfielders: Santos, Mount, Tielemans, Mainoo, Fernandes, Thwaites.
- Forwards: Dorgu, Cunha, Rashford, Mbeumo, Zirkzee, Lacey, Sesko.
The headline name among that group was Marcus Rashford. Withdrawn on 70 minutes at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday after feeling discomfort, he was back with the squad and moving freely. Carrick had described his display at the weekend as “outstanding” and “sharp”, and his presence on the training pitch underlined the sense that the substitution had been precautionary rather than alarming.
Left-back gap and a young contender
Luke Shaw, United’s only established senior left-back, did not train. His absence, though, was not injury-related. As reported by BBC Sport’s Simon Stone, Shaw was given a designated rest day, a planned breather rather than a setback.
In his place, young full-back Harry Amass stepped in again, training with the senior squad as he waits for his first competitive minutes under Carrick. With the schedule tightening and the European campaign just beginning, his chance may not be far away.
United now move from drills at Carrington to the glare of Old Trafford, where a clinical Sabah side will test their early-season resolve. For Carrick and his players, this is more than a routine group-stage opener; it is a chance to set the tone for a European run that cannot afford to start with a stutter.
