Manchester United’s long-awaited return to the Champions League begins at Old Trafford on Thursday, when they host Azerbaijani debutants Sabah in a first competitive meeting between the two clubs.
Michael Carrick’s side missed out on European football entirely last season for the first time since 2014-15, and this represents United’s first Champions League campaign in three years. United head into the match on the back of a dramatic 2-2 draw at Everton, in which they twice led before Ainsley Maitland-Niles struck a stoppage-time equaliser, leaving them 11th in the Premier League with four points from three games.
Sabah, by contrast, arrive full of confidence after winning six of their eight Champions League qualifying matches to reach the league phase for the first time, and they thumped Zira 5-0 in their last domestic outing courtesy of a Joy-Lance Mickels hat-trick.
Manchester United vs Sabah – Match preview and team news
Date: Thursday, 10 September 2026
Kick-off: 20:00 BST
Venue: Old Trafford
Referee: Willy Delajod (FRA)
Last meeting: First meeting between the two clubs
Team news
Manchester United
Matthijs de Ligt (back), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Amad Diallo (ankle) and Tom Heaton (hamstring) all remain unavailable for Michael Carrick’s side. Marcus Rashford is being assessed after being withdrawn against Everton with a muscular issue, though he is expected to be fit. With a Manchester derby to follow on Sunday, Carrick is expected to make several changes, potentially including recalls for Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui and Andrey Santos.
Sabah
Sabah have a fully fit squad available for their first-ever Champions League league-phase fixture. Joy-Lance Mickels, who has scored eight goals in 11 appearances this season, is expected to lead the visitors’ attacking threat alongside Veljko Simic. Kaheem Parris is also set for a place in Valdas Dambrauskas’ starting XI.
Form
Manchester United
Manchester United have won just one of their last seven Champions League group-stage matches, losing four, and go into Thursday’s game on the back of a 2-2 draw at Everton in which they twice led. They sit 11th in the Premier League with four points from three matches, five points off leaders Manchester City. United last progressed beyond the group stage in 2021-22, when they were eliminated by Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.
Sabah
Sabah have won six of their eight Champions League qualifying matches this season, keeping four clean sheets along the way to reach the league phase for the first time. They are one of four teams making their league-phase debut this season, alongside Como, LASK and Viking. Domestically, Valdas Dambrauskas’ side sit top of the Azerbaijan Premier League after winning all three of their opening matches, most recently thrashing Zira 5-0.
Predicted lineups
Manchester United predicted XI: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Mazraoui; Santos, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko
Sabah predicted XI: Pokatilov; Solvet, Dashdamirov, Puchacz, Zedadka; Rakhmonaliev, Isaev, Lepinjica, Parris; Mickels, Simic
How to watch Manchester United vs Sabah?
The match will be broadcast live in the United Kingdom on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate, with streaming available via HBO Max.
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