91Èȱ¬

Manchester United have lost their first match in just one of their last 21 Champions League campaigns (W13 D7).

That was 2-1 to PSV in 2015-16 under Louis van Gaal.

Can Manchester United build on a promising start to the season?

They have won three and drawn one of their opening four Premier League fixtures.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is hoping to go one better than last season when they went out in the Champions League group stages and didn't win any trophy.

The European season has actually already started - and a former Watford player has a little piece of history.

There are two games happening right now in the inaugural Europa Conference League (most of the games are on Thursday).

Maccabi Tel-Aviv lead Alashkert 4-1 with Stipe Perica, who was at Watford last season, scoring the first goal.

Maccabi Haifa and Feyenoord are drawing 0-0 with about 20 minutes to go.

Image source, Reuters

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer believes his "special" group are better equipped to challenge this season.

"We've added some experience, some quality, some youth in the squad and hopefully we are better prepared this year for what's to come," he said.

"We had some big moments but this team now has grown and matured over the last few seasons.

"With Raphael Varane and Cristiano Ronaldo coming in, they add not that last bit because you can never say if it's the last bit. But they added something extra that you have to buy unless you win it four times yourself.

"We've learned, we've definitely learned. The group is special, I have to say, as a unit they look after each other. The atmosphere is really good and that's going to stand us in good stead, definitely."

Young Boys boss David Wagner takes charge of his first ever Champions League match today.

In June, the former Schalke boss replaced Gerardo Seoane, who left for Bayer Leverkusen after leading Young Boys to last season's title.

Wagner faced Manchester United four times as Huddersfield Town manager, winning once and losing three times.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s second match in charge of United was a 3-1 win over Wagner’s Huddersfield in December 2018.

Image source, Getty Images

91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live

There is full radio commentary of this game on 91Èȱ¬ Radio 5 Live. You can listen on this page.

The Chelsea game is on afterwards too.

MOTD

In case you somehow missed it at the weekend, Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice on his Manchester United return in their win over Newcastle.

Want to see the goals?

Watch Saturday's Match of the Day on the iPlayer now.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

It's not for me to say if grown men with names on the back of their shirts is a bit sad.

Manchester United forward Cristiano Ronaldo will equal the all-time Champions League appearance record today.

He will match former Real Madrid team-mate Iker Casillas' 177.

Ronaldo is already the leading scorer with 134 goals, 15 of which were scored during his first spell at United between 2003 and 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was part of the last Manchester United team to win the Champions League in 2008, starts in Switzerland.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer makes three changes from the starting XI at the weekend with Donny van de Beek, Fred and Victor Lindelof all returning.

Raphael Varane, Nemanja Matic and Mason Greenwood drop to the bench.

Winger Anthony Elanga, 19, played and scored against Wolves on the final day of last season and is also among the subs along with 21-year-old keeper Matej Kovar, who was on loan at League One Swindon in 2020-21.

Image source, 91Èȱ¬ Sport

Our early focus will be on Manchester United's 17:45 BST kick-off.

They play Young Boys at the Wankdorf Stadium. That is a factual sentence with nothing to laugh about.

• Sevilla v Red Bull Salzburg (17:45)
• Young Boys v Manchester United (17:45)
• Barcelona v Bayern Munich
• Dynamo Kyiv v Benfica
• Chelsea v Zenit St Petersburg
• Malmo v Juventus
• Lille v Wolfsburg
• Villarreal v Atalanta

All games kick-off at 20:00 BST unless otherwise stated

One hundred and eight days ago, the 2020-21 Champions League came to an end with Chelsea beating Manchester City in Porto.

And tonight the 2021-22 tournament begins - with champions Chelsea, and Manchester United, among the teams in action.

I'd usually make some cynical reference to life being relentless but I LOVE THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE.