How Man Utd lined up in Michael Carrick’s first-ever Champions League game FIVE YEARS ago with Cristiano Ronaldo up top

MICHAEL CARRICK is set to take charge of his second Champions League match, more than 1750 days after the first. Back in 2021, as an interim manager, Carrick was in the Man Utd dugout on the Spanish coast. Cristiano Ronaldo featured in Michael Carrick’s first Champions League as boss Credit: AFP On Carrick’s European debut as boss, United beat Villareal 2-0 to make the last 16 Credit: EPA Only two days prior, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was brutally sacked following an embarrassing 4-1 defeat to Watford. Mauricio Pochettino and Erik ten Hag were earmarked as potential picks to replace the Norwegian. Sign up for the Man United newsletter Thank you! But at Villarreal, it was Carrick, with more than 300 appearances for the club, who led the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Scott McTominay, and Anthony Martial out. Thanks to second-half goals from talisman Ronaldo and Jadon Sancho, Man Utd ran out 2-0 winners. And the Red Devils reached the last-16 of the competition. David De Gea, 35, kept a clean sheet between the posts. Meanwhile, Martial, who is now a free agent after leaving Monterrey, was alongside Donny van de Beek and Sancho. Fred and McTominay dominated the midfield – both of whom have moved on from Old Trafford. Most read in Sport BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The Scotsman made a coveted move to Napoli and has recently undergone heart surgery. Meanwhile, Fred has been enjoying the Brazilian sunshine at Atletico Mineiro since his move last month. Alex Telles, Harry Maguire, Victor Lindelof, and Aaron Wan-Bissaka made up the back-line. While a win then secured a spot in the round of 16, a later 2-1 aggregate defeat against Atletico Madrid sent them home. Donny van de Beek was one of United’s long gone faces featuring on the night Credit: Getty But by that time, the reins had been handed over to Ralf Rangnick. Of that starting XI, only 33-year-old Maguire is still in the squad today. And the centre-back could line up tonight as United host Champions League debutants Sabah FC. Senne Lammens is likely to start in goal behind a defence featuring Diogo Dalot, Luke Shaw, and a central pairing of Harry Maguire and Lisandro Martinez. Kobbie Mainoo and Youri Tielemans link up in central midfield, with Bruno Fernandes leading the line. And fans could see Matheus Cunha spearhead the attack, flanked by Bryan Mbeumo and Marcus Rashford. Comment now