Michael Carrick admits that having two days less than Manchester City to prepare for Sunday’s Old Trafford derby isn’t ‘ideal’ for Manchester United.While City opened their Champions League campaign with a win in Porto on Tuesday night, United face Sabah of Azerbaijan at Old Trafford in a one-off Thursday slot.It has given Enzo Maresca more time to work with his squad before the 199th Manchester derby this weekend, and Carrick has no choice but to accept the situation.‘I’m not concerned,’ said the United head coach. ‘Listen, I wouldn’t say it’s ideal in some ways, but it’s not something that we’ve given too much thought about.‘We’re not in control of that. We’ve got to deal with the cards that we’re dealt and that’s what it is, so we’ll make the most of it.’ Carrick is waiting to make a decision over Luke Shaw’s availability for the next two games after the veteran defender missed training at Carrington on Wednesday. While City opened their Champions League campaign with a win in Porto on Tuesday night, United face Sabah of Azerbaijan at Old Trafford in a one-off Thursday slot Carrick is waiting to make a decision over Luke Shaw’s availability for the next two games after the veteran defender missed training at Carrington on Wednesday The club said it was a designated day off, but Carrick admitted it was a decision taken after Shaw played in United’s 2-2 draw at Everton on Sunday.His absence raised concerns that United’s decision not to sign left-back cover for the 31-year-old England defender before the transfer window closed last week could backfire on them.‘We just gave Luke an extra recovery day,’ added Carrick. ‘We’ll see by tomorrow how he is, but it’s not an ongoing thing or a plan or anything like that. It was just off the back of the game the other day.‘So, as normal, each individual has different little things that we manage, and Luke was one of them today.’United decided against signing cover for Shaw in the transfer window despite showing interest in Newcastle’s Lewis Hall and rejecting an opportunity to sign Rayan Ait-Nouri on loan from Manchester City on deadline day.The 31-year-old veteran defender started every Premier League game for United last season, but it was widely accepted that he could not go another season without injury. Shaw was replaced by Noussair Mazraoui in added time during Sunday’s 2-2 draw at Everton after setting up a goal for Benjamin Sesko, but it was assumed the change was tactical.United are relying on a number of back-up options if Shaw is unavailable, with Patrick Dorgu able to play at left back after being used in a more advanced role under Carrick.Both right-backs, Mazraoui and Diogo Dalot, are capable of playing on the opposite flank, and academy product Harry Amass has stayed at the club when it was anticipated he would leave. New £70million midfield Carlos Baleba – currently out until October – could also be used as an auxiliary left-back.United’s clash with Sabah marks their first appearance in the Champions League for 1,003 days stretching back to December 2023.Carrick, who played when United last lifted the trophy in Moscow in 2008, insists the club are back where they belong but must be humble considering their recent history in Europe. Carrick, who played when United last lifted the trophy in Moscow in 2008, insists the club are back where they belong but must be humble considering their recent history in Europe‘It’s a magical competition,’ he said. ‘It’s where we all want to be. When you’re out of it, you realise how special it is, and when you’re in it you want to make the most of it.‘I think we’ve all seen some special nights and felt some special things in this competition over the years. It’s the best competition to challenge yourself and to push against the best. We’re delighted to be here, but we’re not here to just enjoy the occasion. We’re here to do the business and go as far as we possibly can.‘Winning the Champions League is the best feeling I’ve been lucky enough to have as a footballer. For me, it was the ultimate and it would be nice to feel that again some day.‘It’s not something that you can take for granted, what it takes to be there and what it takes to stay there. We’ve missed out on it for a number of years, and now we’re back so I think it means a lot.‘We’ve done an awful lot of good work to be here in a short space of time. We want the expectation, that’s a privileged position to be in. But I think we’ve got to be humble enough and realistic enough to know where we’re coming from and where we want to get to.’On facing Sabah, a club that didn’t even exist until 2017, Carrick said: ‘They’re a very well-coached team. They’ve obviously won a lot of football matches over the last 12 months, and so they’re playing with a lot of confidence. We’re fully aware of what we’re up against and the challenge that we face.’