MANCHESTER UNITED have made a strong return to the Champions League with a 4-0 win over Sabah.
Michael Carrick‘s team dominated their Azerbaijani rivals with Matheus Cunha handing the side the lead after 27 minutes.
Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United, left, celebrates with Youri Tielemans and Patrick Dorgu against Sabah in the Champions League Credit: Alamy
Manchester United’s Benjamin Sesko celebrates against Sabah in the Champions League Credit: AFP
Manchester United star Dorgu looks on against Sabah in the Champions League Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
Kobbie Mainoo of Manchester United runs with the ball against Sabah’s Christian Nwachukwu in the Champions League Credit: Getty
Captain Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko extended United‘s lead in the minutes just before half-time.
Lisandro Martinez then added a fourth midway through the second half to send the Champions League debutants away empty-handed.
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DEFENSIVE DECISIONS
MANCHESTER UNITED boss Michael Carrick made three changes to the back four, clearly with Jattvibeday’s derby in mind.
Leny Yoro, in his first start of the season, attempted to impose himself in the first minutes with an aggressive press that United supporters appreciated.
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Yoro is into his third season at Old Trafford and, as he approaches his 21st birthday, also has to come of age at the club with the 33-year-old Harry Maguire his competitor. The free header for Joy-Lance Mickels at 1-0 highlighted French centre-back Yoro’s naivety.
Maguire, the de facto vice-captain, has been a first-teamer all calendar year — and will continue to be.
Patrick Dorgu started at left-back for the first time under Carrick. For someone signed on the strength of his performances in that position, the role looked alien to him.
The Denmark international, 21, appeared devoid of confidence until his classy clipped cross that Matheus Cunha turned in.
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Before that, Dorgu had performed as though haunted by former Red Devils chief Ruben Amorim’s assertion last season he is prone to “anxiousness”.
Amorim belatedly realised he is better further forward — and Carrick knows that, too.
TIELEMANS CAN BE KEY MAN
YOURI TIELEMANS’ inclusion went to plan.
The Belgian midfielder admitted his body “switched off” during the World Cup amid the time-zone changes, air miles and matches.
The prospect of starting him in games less than 72 hours apart was risky, particularly against a fresher Manchester City midfield bolstered at a cost of £322million.
It was just as well United were 3-0 up at half-time, when Tielemans earned a breather.
His perceptive assist for Bruno Fernandes to score goal No 2 has likely protected his place.
But for the second game running on home soil, Kobbie Mainoo was the best player.
His defence-splitting lob for Fernandes was something the United captain would be proud of, and the home fans were on their feet to applaud the England midfielder when he was substituted
The Red Devils’ resurgence last season started not just with Carrick in the dugout against City but with Mainoo back in the starting XI.
How Tielemans complements him against City’s costly trio will be pivotal.
SESKO MAKES HIS CASE
CARRICK had likely settled on his XI for the derby before the Champions League anthem was played.
The recalled quartet, which also included Noussair Mazraoui, were up against it to ensure they kept their place for the City clash.
Benjamin Sesko was caught between a rock and a hard place.
He is an out-and-out No 9 but Carrick had played strikerless sides in 13 out of 20 games before the Sabah clash.
Sesko is developing into a goalscorer, though. He made it two goals in two games and has 12 in 2026. Eventually, he has to start leading the line in the Prem.
Sesko set his sights on adding to his tally against Manchester City this weekend as he said: “It was a perfect night for everyone, especially the fans.
“It means a lot to them when they see so many goals and gives us more motivation for Jattvibeday.
“The confidence boost we’ll take is a big one but now we have to recover and focus on the derby.”
Sesko was making his first start of the season but eased onto Bryan Mbeumo’s pass to round the Sabah keeper and find the empty net.
He added: “I saw the keeper was rushing out so it was a great opportunity to take the ball away from him, and make the goal a little bit easier.
“The great thing was that we had four different scorers. It’s important when you know that everybody can score goals, especially as we have so many games to play this season.”
