Manchester United ease to victory over Sabah on Champions League return

Michael Carrick's side warmed up for the derby with a routine win.

Lisandro Martinez (second right) celebrates with team-mates after scoring. Pic: Nick Potts/PA

Manchester United’s long-awaited return to the Champions League began with Michael Carrick’s men cruising to a comprehensive 4-0 victory against minnows Sabah.

The Red Devils’ 300th match at Europe’s top table was their first on this stage for 1,003 days and felt more like a Europa League match given it was on a Thursday night and against the champions of Azerbaijan.

Far tougher tests await in the league phase but United were able to enjoy a straightforward evening after a topsy-turvy start to the season, with Matheus Cunha putting them ahead midway through the first half at Old Trafford.

Joy-Lance Mickels wasted a glorious chance to equalise for Sabah, who this week celebrated their ninth birthday, and the hosts duly punished them as Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko struck before the break.

Lisandro Martinez added gloss as Carrick rung the changes with half an eye on Sunday’s return to Premier League action against rivals Manchester City, who will have had two extra days to prepare for the derby.

Man Utd: Lammens, Mazraoui, Yoro, Martinez, Dorgu (Amass 72'), Tielemans (Mount 46'), Mainoo (Santos 64'), Mbeumo (S. Lacey 72'), Fernandes, Cunha, Sesko 

Sabah: Pokatilov. Zedadka (Almeida 76'), Dashdamirov, McCarthy, Puchacz, Rakhmonaliev, Lepinjica, Simic (Du Queiroz 75'), Parris (A. Isaev 63'), Mickels, Nwachukwu.

Referee: Willy Delajod.