Manchester United comfortably beat Champions League debutants Sabah 4-0 at Old Trafford, but the Azerbaijani side will rue a missed chance from centre-forward Joy-Lance Mickels that could have levelled the match. Trailing to an early Matheus Cunha goal, Mickels was unmarked at the far post on 39 minutes but headed wide, a moment that proved decisive as United then pulled away to secure a routine victory in this group-stage fixture.

Sabah, founded in 2017 and champions of Azerbaijan for the first time last season under coach Valdas Dambrauskas, had navigated four two-legged qualifying rounds, beating The New Saints, Kuopio, Aarhus and Hapoel Be'er Sheva, to reach Old Trafford for the biggest game in their nine-year history. Around 500 travelling fans watched the visitors press well and keep the score at 0-0 for 27 minutes before United, fielding a strong side including Youri Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo, Bruno Fernandes, Bryan Mbeumo and Benjamin Sesko, took control. Separately, United's Under-19s thrashed Sabah's youth side 5-0 in the Uefa Youth League, with 15-year-old prospect JJ Gabriel scoring a hat-trick.