Michael Carrick sets a strong Champions League standard for Manchester United, saying the club must challenge Europe’s best and remain among the elite

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick has set an ambitious Champions League standard for Manchester United at Old Trafford on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, insisting that the club must return to competing consistently with Europe’s leading sides.

Also read: Zidane Names Football’s Greatest Player Ever

Carrick made the comments ahead of Manchester United’s Champions League opener against Azerbaijani champions Sabah at Old Trafford on Thursday, as the English giants prepare to return to Europe’s premier club competition after a three-year absence.

“Manchester United has been used to challenging the best in the Champions League, what it takes to be there and stay there,” Carrick said.

“It is where we want to be and where we should expect to be. It is the standard we want to set.”

The comments underline the scale of Carrick’s ambitions after he guided United back into the Champions League following a remarkable turnaround last season.

Carrick took charge in January and helped transform United’s fortunes, eventually leading the club to third place in the Premier League.

His 17 league matches produced 39 points, the highest total recorded by any side during that period.

The former United midfielder was subsequently handed the permanent manager’s job, moving from a short-term appointment to leading the club into a full season with expectations considerably higher than those surrounding the team when he arrived.

United’s return to the Champions League represents an important step in that rebuilding process.

The club last competed in the competition during the 2023/24 campaign, when United failed to progress from the group stage. The Sun

Carrick has also acknowledged that restoring United to the very top of English and European football will not happen overnight.

United have not won the Premier League since 2013, while Manchester City and Arsenal have established themselves among the leading contenders in recent seasons.

Carrick previously described a title challenge as a significant step but insisted that it was not beyond his squad.

The manager has nevertheless overseen a positive shift at Old Trafford. United finished last season strongly and strengthened their squad during the summer, particularly in midfield, with the additions of Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos.

League title last season and secured Champions League qualification after negotiating four rounds of qualifying. The club will be making its debut in the competition’s league phase.

Captain Bruno Fernandes also enters the campaign after being named Premier League Player of the Season and setting a new league record for assists in a season.

The Champions League challenge begins against a Sabah side enjoying an extraordinary rise of its own.

Sabah, founded in 2017, won their first Azerbaijan Premier League title last season and secured Champions League qualification after negotiating four rounds of qualifying. The club will be making its debut in the competition’s league phase at Old Trafford.

Sabah are managed by Lithuanian coach Valdas Dambrauskas, whose own journey to the Champions League has been unusually long. Dambrauskas previously worked with non-league London Tigers before building a coaching career across Europe.

For Carrick, however, the immediate priority is ensuring United approach their return to Europe’s elite with the mentality he believes the club should possess.

United’s domestic form has offered both encouragement and caution. Carrick’s side have taken four points from their opening three Premier League matches, including a 2-2 draw at Everton in which Ainsley Maitland-Niles scored a stoppage-time equaliser.

That result prevented United from carrying a perfect record into their European opener, but Carrick remains focused on building a team capable of competing on several fronts.

The Sabah match will therefore be more than a return to the Champions League for United.

It will be an early opportunity for Carrick to demonstrate whether last season’s impressive revival can develop into something more enduring.

For a club with five European Cups and a long history of competing at the highest level, Carrick’s message is clear: reaching the Champions League is only the beginning.

Also read: Zidane Names Football’s Greatest Player Ever

The expectation at Manchester United is to belong there, compete there and eventually challenge for the biggest prizes again.