Manchester United enjoy triumphant return to Champions League but far sterner tests await

Unlike many of his players, Michael Carrick has personal experience of the special nights at Old Trafford in the Champions League . This was scarcely one of them, but if Carrick had compiled a list of things he wanted from the evening, this must have ticked nearly every box. The fixture list made it a low-key comeback to the Champions League but Carrick was able to rest four players ahead of the Manchester derby, take off five more and chalk up a comfortable win. Matheus Cunha, who was fortunate to avoid a late red card for a studs-up challenge on Erivaldo Almeida, surely needed his first goal of the season. Benjamin Sesko marked his first start of the campaign with a second goal in a week. In a sense, though, the most meaningful goal came from Bruno Fernandes . The captain was nominated for the Ballon d’Or even after a campaign when United were not in any continental competition. He showed a loyalty to United during their European exile. More than any other player, he dragged them back into the Champions League. It was fitting he scored on their return. Fernandes being Fernandes, it was also typical he was not among the rested or the removed. Mickels missed a chance to level at 1-0 (Reuters) Carrick has rarely needed to rotate since he took charge. Given this season’s greater workload, this was something of a learning exercise. Patrick Dorgu played left-back for the first time under Carrick, excelled in attack and played a part in the first two goals, but revealed defensive deficiencies. Noussair Mazraoui, brought back in for Diogo Dalot, seemed to have a point to prove and looked lively going forward. A fit-again Mason Mount made a belated first appearance of the campaign in the second half. Andrey Santos, dropped after his ill-fated debut at Hull, got the final half-hour. The youngsters Harry Amass and Shea Lacey appeared for the last 20 minutes. By then, the game was won. It could have been more emphatic but it was still United’s biggest Champions League victory since 2020’s 5-0 rout of RB Leipzig; yet that also reflects the reality they have sat out many a European night since then. As they became the first English club to play 300 games in the European Cup, it was also their first since 2023. Fernandes bagged a second as Sabah fell apart at the back (Reuters) Carrick gave Luke Shaw the night off altogether, while United’s lead allowed Harry Maguire, Marcus Rashford and Diogo Dalot to remain on the bench. Later, Youri Tielemans, Kobbie Mainoo, Sesko, Bryan Mbeumo and Dorgu joined them there. The first two goals featured Dorgu’s forays into attack. For the breakthrough, and after Sabah had made a fine start, the overlapping left-back crossed for Cunha to finish at the near post. The Brazilian had made a slow start to the season as a supposed centre-forward. Perhaps it was no coincidence he scored when in a deeper role. He looked better operating off the left, with Dorgu’s runs outside him allowing him to come infield. Sesko added a third shortly before half-time (Reuters) Then came a quickfire double just before the break. Tielemans span to pass and Fernandes angled his shot in perfectly. It reinforced the sense two creative, intelligent footballers have the potential to combine well. The third goal came when Mbeumo sent Sesko in behind the Sabah defence. He strolled past goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov to finish. Sesko’s shin problems have restricted his minutes this season and he had gone off before United added a fourth. Lisandro Martinez supplied the close-range finish after a cheeky chipped free kick from Fernandes and a deft backheel from the substitute Joshua Zirkzee . United rejected a deadline-day attempt from Everton to take him on loan and Zirkzee only looks a back-up but he was prominent, seeking to make the most of his longest outing of the season. Lisandro Martinez scored a fourth to cap a comfortable win (PA Wire) For Sabah, it was a night to savour for other reasons. Their Champions League run began in July, before the World Cup finished. This was their second game of the campaign in England: the first, against Welsh champions The New Saints, was in Oswestry, before a crowd of 1,179. There were rather more at Old Trafford for the biggest game in the Azerbaijani champions’ history. They were only founded in 2017. They have come a long way in a short time and the rank outsiders perhaps ought to have had a goal to celebrate. But when Joy-Lance Mickels headed Kaheem Parris’ cross into the side-netting, the Rwandan striker was unable to believe he did not equalise. Later the substitute Orphe Mbina headed against the bar. Sabah showed verve to accompany their counter-attacking pace. United did enough. Their next European tie will provide a greater barometer of their prospects. Visiting Atletico Madrid will be a different kind of learning exercise about Carrick and his team. Stiffer tests await, but United have already won as many Champions League games as they did in their last campaign in this competition: one.