Manchester United vs. Sabah – News and Probable Lineups

Manchester United will look to kick off their 2026-27 Champions League group stage with a victory when they face Azerbaijani team Sabah on Thursday night.

This marks Manchester United’s return to the Champions League after a three-season absence, while it is Sabah’s inaugural appearance at this tier of European football.

Match overview

For the first time since 2014-15, Manchester United was not part of European competitions during the 2025-26 season. The upcoming Champions League campaign will be their 26th overall, setting a record for English clubs.

In the 2023-24 season, Manchester United secured a fourth-place finish in a group that included Bayern Munich, Copenhagen, and Galatasaray. There is heightened pressure on the head coach Michael Carrick to achieve a successful run in this Champions League campaign, although claiming the trophy seems a distant dream.

The 20-time English champions will enter this fixture following a 2-2 draw with Everton last Sunday; they have accumulated four points from three league matches, placing them in 11th position in the Premier League, five points behind leaders Manchester City.

Historically, the Red Devils have lifted the European Cup on three occasions, first in 1968, followed by victories in 1999 and 2008. Their last advancement to the knockout stage occurred in the 2021-22 season when they fell to Atletico Madrid in the round of 16.

During this season’s Champions League group stage, Manchester United is set to face Atletico Madrid, Como, Roma, Sporting Lisbon, RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, and Villarreal.

On the other hand, Sabah commenced their 2026-27 Champions League journey in early July and have already participated in eight matches in the competition this season.

The Azerbaijani side has achieved victory over TNS, KuPS, Aarhus, and Hapoel Be’er Sheva during the 2026-27 Champions League qualifying rounds to secure a spot at this level for the first time, and they come into this match on the heels of a commanding 5-0 triumph over Zira in their domestic league.

Valdas Dambrauskas’ squad, current champions of Azerbaijan, have made a solid start to their domestic league, gathering nine points from their opening three games and sitting at the top of the table.

The Owls are set to take on a Manchester United team that has triumphed in only one of their last seven Champions League group matches, suffering four defeats in that span, and they will look to exploit any weaknesses in the Red Devils’ defence this season.

Sabah has seen success in six of their eight Champions League fixtures this season, keeping four clean sheets, and they are among four teams debuting in this season’s league phase alongside Como, LASK, and Viking.

Team News

Manchester United will again miss the services of Matthijs de Ligt (back), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Amad Diallo (ankle), and Tom Heaton (hamstring) for their opening Champions League match against Sabah.

Marcus Rashford is also set for an assessment after he was substituted in the second half of the match against Everton due to a minor issue.

Carrick is anticipated to rotate his squad before the Manchester derby against Manchester City on Sunday, potentially welcoming Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, Andrey Santos, and Benjamin Sesko into the lineup.

Sesko has been gradually increasing his playing time off the bench against Everton, scoring a late goal, and he may be included in the starting XI.

On the other hand, Sabah has a fully-fit squad available for the fixture at Old Trafford.

Joy-Lance Mickels has been in exceptional form this season, netting eight goals and providing one assist in 11 matches, and he is expected to play a role in the attack.

Veljko Simic (seven goals, one assist this season) will also pose a threat for the visitors this Thursday, and Kaheem Parris is likely to also feature.

Manchester United probable starting XI:

Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Mazraoui; Saints, Lord; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Sabah probable starting XI:

Pokatilov; Solvet, Dashdamirov, Puchacz, Zedadka; Rakhmonaliev, Isaev, Lepinjica, Parris; Mickels, Simic

While predicting a clean sheet for Manchester United seems optimistic given their defensive issues, it is anticipated that the Red Devils will start their Champions League journey with a victory.