Manchester United vs Sabah - prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester United volition beryllium aiming to statesman their 2026-27 Champions League league signifier run connected a winning enactment erstwhile they invited Azerbaijani outfit Sabah connected Thursday night.

This is Man United's archetypal Champions League run successful 3 seasons, portion it volition beryllium the archetypal clip that Sabah person competed astatine this level of European football.

Match preview

Man United were absent from European contention successful 2025-26 for the archetypal clip since 2014-15, and this volition correspond their archetypal Champions League run successful 3 seasons and their 26th overall, which is an English record.

In 2023-24, Man United finished 4th successful a conception which included Bayern Munich, Copenhagen and Galatasaray, and determination is undoubtedly unit connected caput manager Michael Carrick to present a affirmative Champions League campaign, but winning the trophy this play is simply a agelong shot.

The 20-time English champions volition participate this lucifer disconnected the backmost of a 2-2 gully with Everton connected Sunday; 4 points person been secured from 3 games this season, which has near them successful 11th spot successful the Premier League table, 5 points disconnected leaders Manchester City.

The Red Devils have won the European Cup connected 3 erstwhile occasions, archetypal lifting the celebrated trophy successful 1968, earlier triumphing successful 1999 and 2008, portion their past progression to the knockout circular came successful 2021-22, losing to Atletico Madrid successful the circular of 16.

Man United volition besides instrumentality connected Atletico Madrid, Como, Roma, Sporting Lisbon, RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Villarreal successful the league signifier of this season's Champions League.

Sabah, meanwhile, began their 2026-27 Champions League run astatine the commencement of July, already taking to the tract connected 8 occasions successful the contention this season.

The Azerbaijani outfit person beaten TNS, KuPS, Aarhus and Hapoel Be'er Sheva successful the 2026-27 Champions League qualifying rounds to unafraid a spot astatine this signifier for the archetypal time, and they volition participate the lucifer disconnected the backmost of a thumping 5-0 triumph implicit Zira successful the league.

Valdas Dambrauskas' side, who are the reigning Azerbaijani champions, person made a beardown commencement to their home campaign, picking up 9 points from 3 matches to apical the division.

The Owls volition beryllium coming up against a Man United broadside that person lone won 1 of their past 7 Champions League radical signifier matches, suffering 4 defeats successful the process, and they tin instrumentality assurance from the Red Devils' antiaircraft problems this term.

Sabah person won six of their 8 Champions League matches this season, keeping 4 cleanable sheets, and they are 1 of 4 teams successful this season's contention making their debut successful the league signifier alongside Como, LASK and Viking.

Manchester United signifier (all competitions):

Sabah signifier (Champions League):

Sabah signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Man United volition again beryllium without the services of Matthijs de Ligt (back), Manuel Ugarte (knee), Carlos Baleba (ankle), Amad Diallo (ankle) and Tom Heaton (hamstring) for their Champions League opener with Sabah.

Marcus Rashford besides needs to beryllium assessed, with the attacker brought disconnected against Everton successful the 2nd fractional owed to a flimsy issue.

Carrick is expected to marque changes to his broadside up of the Manchester derby against Manchester City connected Sunday afternoon, with Leny Yoro, Noussair Mazraoui, Andrey Santos and Benjamin Sesko perchance being introduced.

Sesko continued to physique his minutes disconnected the seat against Everton, uncovering the backmost of the nett precocious on, and the striker could present beryllium brought into the XI.

Sabah, meanwhile, person a fully-fit squad for the European clash astatine Old Trafford.

Joy-Lance Mickels has been successful outstanding signifier this season, scoring 8 goals and registering 1 assistance successful 11 appearances, and the 32-year-old volition diagnostic successful the last 3rd of the field.

Veljko Simic (seven goals, 1 assistance this season) volition beryllium different information for the visitors connected Thursday evening, portion determination is besides expected to beryllium a spot successful the broadside for Kaheem Parris.

Manchester United imaginable starting lineup:

Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Martinez, Mazraoui; Santos, Mainoo; Mbeumo, Fernandes, Cunha; Sesko

Sabah imaginable starting lineup:

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

We say: Manchester United 3-1 Sabah

It is hard to foretell a cleanable expanse for Man United fixed their antiaircraft frailties, but we are expecting the Red Devils to get their Champions League run disconnected to a winning start.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.