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Champions League: Carrick provides early Manchester United news ahead of Sabah clash
09th September, 2026 07:00 PM
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick has offered an update on his squad ahead of Thursday night’s, September 10, 2026 UEFA Champions League meeting with Azerbaijani club Sabah at Old Trafford.
The European fixture is scheduled to begin at 20:00 BST, with supporters still able to purchase tickets for the match.
Marcus Rashford was among the players involved in training at Carrington in front of the media cameras. The England forward had been substituted during the second half of United’s 2-2 draw away to Everton on Sunday.
However, Matthijs de Ligt and Luke Shaw were absent from the session after being given planned recovery days.
Carrick subsequently explained Shaw’s situation during his pre-match media conference, making it clear that a decision on whether the left-back will feature from the beginning has yet to be made.
“Yeah, we just gave him an extra recovery day today, Luke,” he said. “So, obviously, we’ll see tomorrow how he is but it’s not an ongoing thing or planning like that. Off the back of the game the other day, as normal, each individual has different little things we manage and Luke was one of them today.”
De Ligt closing in on return
De Ligt continues to move towards a return to competitive action after his lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Carrick says the Netherlands international has been training well, although United are being careful not to rush him during the final stages of his rehabilitation.
“We have to see,” said Carrick, about the Dutchman’s potential return. “It’s positive. He’s trained really well but we’re still managing it, when you’re out for such a long period of time, you get to the final stages, pushing and pushing, and you’ve got to manage that last stage. It’s important to get that balance right to take the next step.
“But he’s on a good track, in a good place and it’s great to have him back around us. Hopefully, some time soon.”
Šeško pushing for a starting role
Benjamin Šeško is another player attracting attention ahead of the Sabah encounter after making an impact from the bench against Everton.
The striker scored an impressive goal after coming on at the weekend and could now be considered for a starting position as Carrick prepares his side for another demanding fixture.
“Ben is close, obviously” he added. “He’s obviously getting closer and closer. He missed a lot, since the Liverpool game [last season], it’s a long time to miss. We had to manage it and get him fit, he trained three-and-a-bit weeks fully, with no restrictions.
“You can see that coming onto the pitch, getting stronger and it was a fantastic goal, he did that an awful lot for us last season. It’s good to see him get on crosses and he’ll be part of each and every game. It’s just a case of when we take the next step, he’s in a good place.”
Carrick faces selection balancing act
With United entering a period of matches coming in quick succession, Carrick acknowledged that squad rotation will be important.
The manager stressed the value of having a deep squad capable of coping with different opponents, tactical demands and the physical strain of a congested calendar.
“Well, it’s always a balanced view. I think it’s why we’ve got the squad, we’re pushing to have as strong a squad as possible, to be able to adapt to certain games, certain ways of playing and certain circumstances.
“We play Thursday-Sunday-Wednesday and it’s what we’re here for. It’s about managing the group and having trust in everyone able to play.”
United will continue to be without Amad, Carlos Baleba and Manuel Ugarte, who are all currently sidelined with injuries.
Sabah team news
Sabah are expected to rely heavily on Joy-Lance Mickels and Veljko Simic as their principal attacking threats when they visit Old Trafford.
Khayal Aliyev is currently the only confirmed absentee for the Azerbaijani visitors. The midfielder underwent surgery in Spain in June after suffering a significant hamstring problem and has not played since.
United will therefore head into their European opener with several selection decisions still to be resolved, particularly concerning Shaw, De Ligt and Šeško, while Carrick also weighs up how much rotation is necessary during the club’s busy run of fixtures.
