Manchester United host UEFA Champions League debutants Sabah of Azerbaijan on Thursday night and it's a big occasion -- this will be United's 300th European Cup match, the first English club to reach the milestone.
Curiously, Sabah head coach Valdas Dambrauskas worked for United as an Academy coach 20 years ago as per the club. Sabah CEO Ramin Hasanov also has a United connection -- assisting with their full-time MUSS (Manchester United Soccer Schools) programme in Baku between 2014 and 2018.
Here's everything you need to know about the match:
How to watch:
The match will be available to watch on TNT Sports and HBO Max in the UK, Paramount+ in the U.S., Sony LIV in India, and Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates here.
Key Details:
Date, kick-off time:
UK BST: Thursday, Sept. 10, 8.00 p.m.
U.S. ET: Thursday, Sept. 10, 3.00 p.m.
India IST: Friday, Sept. 11, 12.30 a.m.
Australia AEST: Friday, Sept. 11, 5.00 a.m.
Venue: Old Trafford, Manchester
Referee: Wily Delajod (France)
VAR: Jerome Brisard (France)
Injury and Team News
Manchester United
Marcus Rashford, F, strain: DOUBT
Tom Heaton, GK, abdominal: DOUBT
Matthijs de Ligt, D, back: OUT
Manuel Ugarte, M, knee: OUT
Carlos Baleba, M, ankle: OUT
Amad, M, injured, OUT
Sabah
Sabah have a full squad to choose from
Expected Lineups
Manchester United Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
Senne Lammens
Diogo Dalot | Leny Yoro | Lisandro MartÃnez | Noussair Mazraoui
Kobbie Mainoo | Andrey Santos
Bryan Mbeumo | Bruno Fernandes | Matheus Cunha
Benjamin Sesko
Sabah Predicted XI (4-2-3-1)
Stas Pokatilov
Akim Zedadka | Steve Solvet | Rəhman Dasdemirov | Tymoteusz Puchacz
Umarali Rakhmonaliev | Ivan Lepinjica
Veljko Simic | Aleksey Isaev | Christian Nwachukwu
Joy-Lance Mickels
Talking Points
Man United cannot afford complacency
Here's one stat that should be a sobering reminder to United fans that there is no match they can take lightly in Europe -- United have won only one of their last seven Champions League group stage/league phase games (D2, L4). It's a shambolic streak and a strong performance against tricky newcomers to get their 2026-27 European campaign going will be high on the priority list for Michael Carrick and his men.
Their start to the domestic season hasn't been smooth -- the last-minute Ainsley Maitland-Niles equaliser at Everton this weekend punctuating it -- and they will want to ensure there are no such bumps when they start their first Champions League campaign in three years. This means that it's likely a strong, first-team adjacent starting XI can be expected, even if they have a blockbuster derby to come on Sunday (a particular pain point, considering Man City play on Tuesday).
The sensational Sabah (and Dambrauskas) story
Just nine years ago, Sabah FK didn't even exist. The Azerbaijan side are now the youngest club to ever reach the league phase (or group stage) of the Champions League. They went through the ups and downs any nascent club goes through, and only won their first trophy in 2025, the Azerbaijan Cup. Then came Lithuanian Valdas Dambrauskas as head coach. In his first season, they won the league and another Cup, going 33 matches unbeaten en-route. This saw them navigate UCL qualification -- all four rounds of it.
What adds to the magic is the story of Dambrauskas (of Lithuania). He never played football at even a semi-pro level, but fascinated by the 1990 FIFA World Cup, he decided he wanted to become a football coach. In 2002, the then 25-year-old Dambrauskas won around £1000 ($1400) from a Lithuanian quiz show, and he used that to fund his studies in England, where he trained to become a coach (where he started as a volunteer coach in local youth football). Via Lithuania, Latvia, Bulgaria, Greece, Cyprus, Hungary and now Azerbaijan, he's back in England, leading a team out on a Champions League night at Old Trafford.
"It's been a nice journey, but I want it to last," he told UEFA.com. "I would really like to think that this season is a milestone, and much more is waiting for me and the club in the future. We will keep working, keep learning and keep dreaming."
What do the numbers say?
United are making their 26th appearance in the Champions League proper -- the most by an English club. This is their first participation since 2023/24, when they were eliminated in the group stage.
Sabah are participating in a UEFA competition group stage/league phase for the first time.
They are only the second club from Azerbaijan to reach the Champions League group stage/league phase, after Qarabag in 2017/18 and 2025/26.
Sabah won six of their eight games in qualifying (L2).
