Key events
Righto, our report is here…
…which means that’s it from me. Thanks for your company and comments; peace out.
Tonight’s other final scores
Fenerbahce 1-1 Roma
PSV 1-1 Shakhtar
Bayern 5-0 Bodo/Glimt
Slavia Praha 2-3 lens
Como 4-1 Leipzig
I don’t expect Carrick to make many, if any changes to the team that started against Everton for the City game. He may have considered bolstering midfield with Santos, but Tielemans’ removal at half-time told us that’s not happening. Otherwise, there’s not a chance he puts Yoro up against Haaland, so the only question really concerns the front three. I’d go with Sesko, Mbeumo on the right and Cunha on the left, but I’d be surprised to see that.
Sesko and Dorgu are both happy with the performance and result, with a goal and an assist respectively. Dorgu notes that they’ve conceded too many goals, so the clean sheet is good for the confidence prior to the derby.
That was a decent run-out for United. They’re good in midfield while still improving, and there are goals in their attack, but their defence is still far too easy to get at. It’ll be much harder against City at the weekend, as it will be when they travel to Atletico in their next Champions League game.
FULL TIME: Manchester United 4-0 Sabah
A win and a clean sheet for United, who’ll be satisfied – though not, as TNT tell us, Michael Carrick’s first Champions League victory, having taken charge of a game against Villarreal after Ole Gunnar Solaskjaer was sacked.
90+1 min Sabah haven’t given up, Lepinjica finding Mickels with a lovely trivela pass, and the eventuating cross is just as good, picking out Mbina, who leaps well … and thunks a header over the bar.
90 min We’ll have three additional minutes.
88 min United couldn’t really win tonight: win comfortably and they were meant to, do anything but and it’s a crisis. But they’ve managed the game fairly well, staying patient, keeping a clean sheet, and given the stage of development they’re at, another 90 is another step towards getting good.
86 min Mickels runs in behind and Lepinjica finds him, down the inside-left channel, away from Mazraoui. He lets fly, but his left-footer swings out and just past the far post.
83 min Lacey has really nice feet and isn’t shy at all, but I wonder if he’ll be physical enough for the Prem. I’m not sure he’s got the p&p to go on the outside, so perhaps he’s a 10 not a winger, but will he be able to contribute enough in midfield to play there? He’s got proper technical ability, though, so should have a decent career in the game.
82 min Lacey looks to trick his way past Puchacz, and just as it looks like he’s going by, the defender steps in to his path.
81 min Cunha gets a stud on the ball and several studs on Almeida’s shin, but it was inadvertent and not wild, so the punishment is just a free-kick.
81 min “The second half of Slavia Praha v Racing Club de Lens has been eventfl,” says Kári Tulinius. “In the 49th minute Mikulas Konecny was sent off, and he’d only come on as a substitute at half time. Nevertheless Danijel Šturm gave the home side the lead just two minutes later. They were making a good fist of holding on until Abdullah Sima equalised for the French side. The final bit of the match promises more drama.”
79 min “That’s because Hanson’s Mmmbop is Kylian Mbappe’s tune,” says Paul Howarth.
Another one I can’t believe never happened: Mané, Mané, Mané.
77 min United work well through midfield, Santos and Mount to the fore; there’s a decent chance they start together against Brighton in the League Cup next week, and I really like the way they combine. From having next to no midfield, such that Amorim put Bruno in it because he felt he had no choice – he did, he had Mainoo – they now have quality and options.
76 min Two more changes for Sabah, Du Queiroz and Almeida for Simic and Zedaka.
75 min Naturally, the corner comes to nothing. I’m not sure why, when sesko was on, United weren’t looking for him, either for near-post flick-ons or to go for goal.
74 min Zirkzee is a kind of diet Berbatov, and he shows lovely feet to wriggle between two challenges before chopping outside, narrowing his own shooting angle, and when the left-footed effort comes, it’s blocked behind for a corner.
73 min On the topic of Mbeumo, why doesn’t he have a song to this?
The Stretford End in falsetto seems an easily achievable feat.
72 min And United go Amass and Lacey for Dorgu and Mbeumo.
71 min Sabah take off Rakhmonaliev, replacing him him with Kahibulaev.
GOAL! Manchester United 4-0 Sabah (Martinez 69)
Fernandes flips over the wall and Zirkzee, right of centre and facing the touchline, backheels. The ball then ricochets off McCarthy, Dashdamirov and Pokatilov, before Martinez slams into the net from close range. the keeper and defenders won’t mind never, ever seeing that again.
67 min Mount into Santos into Zirkzee, around the corner for mount, who’s fouled by Lepinjica; he’s booked. Free-kick United, 30 yards out.
66 min “Bodo’s final third is toothless right where the game is decided – the final 16 metres,” advises AnhTuan Nguyen Huynh. They now trail Bayern 2-0, Musiala and Kane with the goals. Except Kane’s may be chalked off for this infraction against all laws of decency.
65 min Santos and Mount combined really nicely in pre-season, for what that’s worth, two intelligent players looking to pass the ball forward.
64 min Double change for United, Santos and Zirkzee on for Mainoo and Sesko.
63 min Sabah send on Isaev for Parris, then Puchacz takes the free-kick, 30 yards out, curling left-footed over the wall … just over and just wide.
61 min Dorgu runs across the back of Parris, clipping his heels; he’s booked.
61 min Now it’s Bruno shooting from just outside the box, right-hand side; the keeper does well to cling on.
6o min United are back dominating possession, probing as they seek a fourth goal … and they almost get one, working it patiently and well before Bruno, back to goal, allows the ball to slide down the outside of his foot for Cunha, whose low shot is saves by a sprawling Pokatilov.
58 min Mount swishes a cunning pass through the lines for Mbeumo, who finds Mazraoui and takes a man away with a run outside him. So the full-back cuts inside, tries a curler for the far top corner … and gets naewhere near it
55 min United are sitting off Sabah now, conserving energy. I’m a little surprised Mainoo wasn’t withdrawn, as he’s essential to all they’re trying to do, but I doubt he completes the 90.
