MANCHESTER UNITED get their Champions League campaign underway against Sabah tonight.
The Red Devils welcome the Azerbaijani champions, who were only founded in 2017, to Old Trafford.
Champions League fixtures will be played, as usual, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays this season – with Thursdays taken up by the Europa and Conference League.
But SunSport can explain why this match is being played on Thursday.
Why are Man Utd playing Sabah on Thursday in the Champions League?
Following the expansion of the Champions League to 36 teams and the implementation of the new ‘Swiss model’ format of the group stage, Uefa announced that each European competition will have an exclusive week.
This means the Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues each get a midweek where they are the only focus.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
AA BREAKDOWN
Inside Fulham’s toxic meltdown as Arbeloa’s reign gets off to disaster start
TOW-TAL FOOTBALL
Haaland splashes out thousands on new caravan and reveals exciting plans
To avoid congestion and to increase opportunities for broadcasters, Uefa decided to spread Champions League games over three days rather than two.
And Man Utd were selected to play on Thursday.
Europa League’s exclusive week sees matches take place on Wednesday, September 16 and Thursday, September 17.
The Conference League’s week sees all matches played on Thursday, December 17 without Europa League taking the shine.
Most read in Sport
KIS GOODBYE
Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis sacks his 25TH manager in 16 years
Title blues
Pochettino demands Chelsea stripped of Prem title and Spurs given it instead
red flag
Iraola gives update on Bradley Barcola after £123m Liverpool star suffers injury
PITCH SHOWDOWN
Moment mass brawl erupts at Sunday League football as match turns violent
Thursday 10 September
Man Utd
20:00
League Stage
Sabah
Sunday 13 September
Man Utd
16:30
EPL
Man City
Wednesday 16 September
Man Utd
20:00
LEC
Brighton
Sunday 20 September
Fulham
16:30
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 10 October
Man Utd
17:30
EPL
Spurs
Tuesday 13 October
Atlético
20:00
League Stage
Man Utd
Sunday 18 October
Leeds
14:00
EPL
Man Utd
Wednesday 21 October
Como
17:45
League Stage
Man Utd
Sunday 25 October
Man Utd
14:00
EPL
Bournemouth
Saturday 31 October
Chelsea
12:30
EPL
Man Utd
Tuesday 3 November
Man Utd
20:00
League Stage
Roma
Saturday 7 November
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Villa
Saturday 21 November
Liverpool
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Wednesday 25 November
Sporting
20:00
League Stage
Man Utd
Saturday 28 November
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Brentford
Wednesday 2 December
Newcastle
20:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 5 December
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Coventry
Tuesday 8 December
Man Utd
20:00
League Stage
Leipzig
Saturday 12 December
Palace
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 19 December
Arsenal
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 26 December
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Forest
Wednesday 30 December
Man Utd
20:00
EPL
Sunderland
Saturday 2 January
Brighton
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Wednesday 6 January
Man Utd
20:00
EPL
Newcastle
Saturday 16 January
Villa
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Wednesday 20 January
Man Utd
20:00
League Stage
FC Bayern
Saturday 23 January
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Liverpool
Wednesday 27 January
Villarreal
20:00
League Stage
Man Utd
Saturday 30 January
Brentford
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 6 February
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Chelsea
Wednesday 10 February
Man Utd
20:00
EPL
Brighton
Saturday 20 February
Forest
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 27 February
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Arsenal
Wednesday 3 March
Sunderland
20:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 13 March
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Everton
Saturday 20 March
Man City
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 10 April
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Hull
Saturday 17 April
Ipswich
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 24 April
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Palace
Saturday 1 May
Coventry
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 8 May
Bournemouth
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Saturday 15 May
Man Utd
15:00
EPL
Leeds
Sunday 23 May
Spurs
15:00
EPL
Man Utd
Sunday 30 May
Man Utd
16:00
EPL
Fulham
Sunday 6 September
Everton
2 – 2
EPL
Man Utd
Sunday 30 August
Man Utd
5 – 2
EPL
Ipswich
Saturday 22 August
Hull
2 – 0
EPL
Man Utd
English Premier League
Pld
Pts
GD
W
D
L
Form
1
3
9
5
3
0
0
2
3
9
5
3
0
0
3
3
7
3
2
1
0
4
3
6
1
2
0
1
5
3
5
3
1
2
0
6
3
5
2
1
2
0
7
3
5
2
1
2
0
8
3
5
2
1
2
0
9
3
5
1
1
2
0
10
3
4
3
1
1
1
11
3
4
1
1
1
1
12
3
4
0
1
1
1
13
3
3
-4
1
0
2
14
3
3
-4
1
0
2
15
3
2
-1
0
2
1
16
3
2
-1
0
2
1
17
3
1
-5
0
1
2
18
3
1
-5
0
1
2
19
3
0
-3
0
0
3
20
3
0
-5
0
0
3