Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
Manchester United will kick-off this season’s Champions League campaign against Azerbaijan’s Sabah on Thursday, with Michael Carrick afforded a chance to rotate.
After two seasons, Manchester United return to the Champions League this week with a favourable start to the competition on paper against Sabah.
The fixture is a real chance for United’s squad depth to be utilised by Michael Carrick, and he could make widespread changes with the Manchester derby on Sunday and the EFL Cup next week to think about.
So here is how the team could look against Sabah with 10 predicted changes.
Manchester United Training Session And Press Conference - UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD1
Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images
How Manchester United could line-up against Sabah
Here is our predicted United XI;
Senne Lammens: In goal, Karl Darlow could quite easily be handed his debut for the club. However, Senne Lammens will want to make his Champions League debut, and therefore, it is likely he will start here.
Hopefully, to keep a first clean sheet of the season.
Noussair Mazraoui: A first rotation in the team against Sabah should be at right-back with Diogo Dalot out and Noussair Mazraoui in.
Mazraoui hasn’t been great so far this season, and at the moment, this has him on a one-way street to being sold next summer. He can change the direction of his career against Sabah.
Leny Yoro: Harry Maguire is at the point in his career where he should not and likely cannot be playing three games a week, so Leny Yoro therefore feels a certain starter.
While not playing much this season to date, the games are coming thick and fast from now on, and Yoro should get plenty of chances.
Ayden Heaven: Having dropped out post-Hull for Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven will expect to be starting again against Sabah. It would be interesting to see Heaven and Yoro starting together.
Heaven might even re-stake his claim over Martinez and could be starting his first of two games in a week.
Harry Amass: On the left, Luke Shaw looks set to miss out, and in this scenario, Harry Amass is the obvious player to take his place and start against Sabah.
Amass deserves first-team opportunities, and he can show Carrick how ready he is to play a serious role here. Expect him to shine.
Andrey Santos: In the midfield with Carlos Baleba out, Carrick should revert to his starting combination from pre-season, with Andrey Santos coming in place of Youri Tielemans.
Santos is a brilliant footballer, and this is a chance for him to stake a claim and also be the excellent depth that he was signed to be.
Mason Mount: Kobbie Mainoo shouldn’t be risked playing so many games in a short spell, and therefore, the recently returned Mason Mount would be a good choice to slot in.
It will depend on Mount being fit, but hopefully the game state ends up comfortable by the second-half and we get to potentially see Jim Thwaites make his debut.
Shea Lacey: After being left out of the squad against Everton, this should be a chance for Shea Lacey to start in a game where United will hopefully be dominating play.
Lacey has been unstoppable for the U21s in response to being left out for the first-team and if he gets his start in this one, United could see a star born.
Bruno Fernandes: One player not likely to be rested or rotated is Bruno Fernandes, with Captain Fantastic simply undroppable, and he will be desperate to play in this one.
He will start, just hopefully he doesn’t have to play the full 90 and gets some rest for the derby.
Patrick Dorgu: Quite clearly, Patrick Dorgu is now the second choice left-winger for United behind Marcus Rashford, and therefore, it is likely he gets a rare start here with the derby in mind.
His physicality could cause Sabah some real problems.
Benjamin Sesko: Leading the line against an expected deep defence should be a proper number nine, and therefore Benjamin Sesko must start his first game of the season.
Sesko scored against Everton and will want to add to his season tally here, getting off to a flyer in the Champions League for United against an opponent easier than any he will face all season.