Manchester United Host Sabah in Champions League Opener at Old Trafford
Manchester United vs Sabah: Match Preview and Team Updates
Manchester United's return to the Champions League kicks off at Old Trafford this Thursday as they face Azerbaijani newcomers Sabah in what marks the first competitive encounter between these two sides.
After missing out on European football entirely last season for the first time since 2014-15, Michael Carrick’s squad embarks on their first Champions League campaign in three years. United arrive following a dramatic 2-2 draw against Everton, where they twice held the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer from Ainsley Maitland-Niles. Currently, Manchester United sit 11th in the Premier League with four points from three matches.
In contrast, Sabah come into the match brimming with confidence after securing six wins in eight Champions League qualifying games to reach this stage for the first time. Their latest domestic performance was emphatic, hammering Zira 5-0 thanks to 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 (FRA)
- Previous Meetings: This is the first competitive meeting between Manchester United and Sabah
Team News
Manchester United have several players sidelined including Matthijs de Ligt (back), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Amad Diallo (ankle), and Tom Heaton (hamstring). Marcus Rashford is under assessment after being subbed off against Everton with a muscular issue but is expected to be available. With the Manchester derby looming on Sunday, Carrick might rotate his squad, possibly recalling Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, and Andrey Santos.
Sabah arrive with a fully fit squad ready for their Champions League group stage debut. Joy-Lance Mickels, who has netted eight goals in 11 appearances this season, will spearhead the attack alongside Veljko Simic. Kaheem Parris is also anticipated to start under coach Valdas Dambrauskas.
Current Form
Manchester United have struggled recently in the Champions League, winning just one of their last seven group stage matches while losing four. Their last progression beyond the group phase was in 2021-22 when Atletico Madrid eliminated them in the round of 16. Domestically, their 11th place standing is five points behind leaders Manchester City.
Sabah have been impressive, winning six of eight qualifying matches and keeping four clean sheets en route to the group stage for the first time. They are among four teams making their league phase debut this season, alongside Como, LASK, and Viking. In their domestic league, Sabah tops the Azerbaijan Premier League with three straight wins, most recently delivering a 5-0 thrashing of 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 fixture will be shown live across the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. Streaming access is available through HBO Max.
