Jamie Carragher has cast doubt on Manchester United's Champions League credentials, stating the club lacks the quality to go deep in the competition this season. His comments came after United's 4-0 victory over Azerbaijani side Sabah in their league phase opener at Old Trafford.
United's Return to Europe's Elite
Manchester United, back in the Champions League for the first time since 2023, began their campaign with a convincing win. Matheus Cunha opened the scoring, followed by a quickfire double from Bruno Fernandes and Benjamin Sesko, giving Michael Carrick's side a commanding lead at halftime. Lisandro Martinez added a fourth in the second half after capitalizing on a goalkeeping error.
The win serves as a boost ahead of Sunday's Manchester derby, but Carragher, speaking to CBS Sports, was cautious about United's prospects in the revamped league phase.
Carragher's Assessment
“Probably not just yet,” Carragher said when asked if United could contend. “Manchester United have been out of the competition for a couple of years, but it’s not even like a couple of years ago they were in it consistently anyway. I think they’ve probably been in it once in five or six years, something like that.”
He added: “So even though they are one of the biggest names in world football, I think once you get back in it for the first time for a while, I think the first target will be to make sure they get through the league phase, and then when you get to the knockout stage, can you get a nice run? Can you almost get to maybe a quarterfinal? Something like that.”
Carragher emphasized he wasn't being patronizing, noting United's global stature, but insisted the current squad lacks the depth to compete with Europe's elite.
Henry Sees Atletico Test as Key Indicator
Thierry Henry, also speaking to CBS Sports, believes a clearer picture will emerge after United's clash with Atletico Madrid in matchday three. “That was the perfect game to have at home to start the Champions League and be back in it,” Henry said. “At the weekend, that’s when you can see what that team is, and then after, we can have a confirmation maybe after against Atletico Madrid. But we will see.”
Henry noted the game came with caveats, as United rested players for the derby, and it was too early to draw conclusions.
Carrick's Reaction
Manager Michael Carrick praised his side's performance, telling TNT Sports: “It’s nice to keep a clean sheet and obviously win the game. Some of the football we played was really good, dangerous on transition. I have to give them a lot of credit, they were difficult to play against.”
He added: “The result looks comfortable, it wasn’t always like that. We just did a lot of good things tonight, which gave us a good result.”
United's next test comes in the Premier League against Manchester City, followed by their Champions League match against Atletico Madrid, which could provide a clearer measure of their European ambitions.
