STAR FOOTBALL PREVIEW Thu: Manchester United v Sabah

Three-time Champions League winners Manchester United make their return to the competition after a three-year hiatus with a home fixture against competition newcomers Sabah Baku, champions of the Azerbaijan Premier League,writes WILLIAM KEDJANYI.

It’s a huge contrast between a team playing their 300th game in the competition (they are the first English side to reach that milestone) and opponents making their Champions League debut, indeed, this is only the Azerbaijan club’s fourth European campaign.

Sabah have reached a European group stage/league phase for the first time. Qarabağ, in 2017/18 and 2025/26, are the only other team from Azerbaijan to feature in the Champions League proper.

It’s no surprise then that Michael Carrick’s side are prohibitive 1/11 favourites to make a winning return, while the visitors are 25/1 to cause what would be a monster of an upset.

Despite winning only one of their last seven Champions League group stage games (D2 L4), the Red Devils have won their last six home European matches, scoring 20 goals at an average of 3.33 per game – and nothing but three points will be good enough for the home side this evening.

Manchester United v Sabah
UEFA Champions League League Phase
20:00 TNT Sports 1 HD / HBO Max

LAST FIVE STATS

HEAD-TO-HEAD

MANCHESTER UNITED 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿
SEP 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Everton 2-2 Manchester United
AUG 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Manchester United 5-2 Ipswich
AUG 2026 PREMIER LEAGUE Hull 2-0 Manchester United
AUG 2026 FRIENDLY Manchester United 2-4 AC Milan
AUG 2026 FRIENDLY Manchester United 1-1 Leeds (United won on penalties)

SABAH 🇦🇿
SEP 2026 AZERBAIJAN PREMIER LEAGUE Sabah Baku 5-0 Zira
AUG 2026 AZERBAIJAN PREMIER LEAGUE Araz 0-1 Sabah Baku
AUG 2026 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER Sabah Baku 5-2 H. Beer Sheva (AET)
AUG 2026 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE QUALIFIER H. Beer Sheva 2-1 Sabah Baku
AUG 2026 AZERBAIJAN PREMIER LEAGUE Sabah Baku 2-0 Kapaz

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However, things are rarely straightforward with a United side that has shipped two goals in each of its three Premier League games so far and they haven’t kept a clean sheet at Old Trafford since their 2-0 win over Spurs on February 7.

Sabah have shown in qualification that they have goals in them and they warmed up for this fixture with a 5-0 thrashing of Zira in the league. Obviously, this test represents a sharp climb in class, but United’s vulnerability at the back means it’s probably worth chancing the visitors getting themselves on the scoresheet at some point.

On that basis, the United win and both teams to score looks tempting enough at 29/20 with starsports.bet especially as the alternative option of the hosts winning to nil is an odds-on poke (17/20).

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