Jamie Carragher rates Man Utd’s chances of winning CL this season – ‘I’m not trying to be patronising’

Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has revealed what Manchester United’s target should be in the Champions League this season.

Man Utd played their first Champions League match since the end of 2023 on Thursday night, hosting Sabah FK at Old Trafford in their opening group game.

This was the easiest game the Red Devils could have hoped for to start their Champions League campaign, and they won 4-0 after goals by Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes, Benjamin Sesko and Lisandro Martinez.

Bigger tests are to come for Michael Carrick‘s side in the Champions League, and Carragher has played down suggestions that they could challenge to win the competition this season.

“Probably not just yet,” Carragher told CBS Sports when asked whether Man Utd could challenge for the Champions League this season.

“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.

“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.

“Now, I’m not trying to be patronising in any way. Manchester United, as I’ve just said, are one of the biggest clubs in the world.

“But to go into it now with the squad that they’ve got and expect them to sort of do big things and take on other clubs with their type of name, they just haven’t got the quality right now, I think, to go deep into the competition.”

Thierry Henry predicts sterner test for Man Utd after “perfect game”

Arsenal icon Thierry Henry, meanwhile, has suggested that we will get a clear reflection about Man Utd’s chances in the Champions League when they play Atletico Madrid in their third game.

“That was the perfect game to have at home to start the Champions League and be back in it,” Henry added.

“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 [in matchday three]. But we will see.

“It’s too early. It’s very difficult to know. Some players left at halftime. Not everybody started because you play City at the weekend. But look, they played against Sabah, they won.”