Man United are preparing for their return to the Champions League and their failure to strengthen at left-back might be about to come back to haunt them
United return to the Champions League tonight
United return to the Champions League tonight
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Manchester United will grace the Champions League stage for the first time in nearly three years this evening when they face Sabah FK.
The game will be United's first involvement in the Champions League since they were dumped out at the group stage in 2023, with Erik ten Hag leading the club to a bottom-placed finish in the 2023/24 season.
The format of the Champions League has been switched up since then and if Michael Carrick's side finish anywhere near the bottom of the 36-team table something will have gone drastically wrong.
Senne Lammens will start in goal against Sabah tonight, but ahead of him there are plenty of decisions to be made. United's porous defence needs to shore up, but Diogo Dalot could retain his place on the right.
In the centre it wouldn't be a surprise to see Leny Yoro come in to partner Harry Maguire. Lisandro Martinez has looked rusty of late and taking him out of the firing line while also giving him some rest ahead of the Manchester derby would be no bad idea.
All eyes will be on who starts at left-back when the team news drops tonight. Luke Shaw didn't train yesterday, although Carrick said there were no injury issues and he was purely on a rest day. But that almost certainly rules Shaw out of the game with the tight turnaround to this weekend's derby. Harry Amass did train on Wednesday but it would be a massive risk to throw him in and Patrick Dorgu would be better used as an option further forward, so Noussair Mazraoui can slot in on the left.
In midfield Kobbie Mainoo will start and Youri Tielemans looks set to partner him once again. Bruno Fernandes is the first name on the teamsheet and will play in the advanced midfield role.
Benjamin Sesko's minutes are being carefully managed and it would make little sense to throw him into the starting XI and effectively rule him out of starting against City on Sunday. Therefore, Matheus Cunha can lead the line with Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford in support.
Predicted United XI: Lammens; Dalot, Yoro, Maguire, Mazraoui; Mainoo, Tielemans, Fernandes; Mbeumo, Cunha, Rashford