Why Man United vs Barnsley is the same day as Liverpool and Aston Villa Champions League matches

In a packed few weeks of football, Manchester United will play in three competitions across the space of just seven days, kickstarting the true grind of a club season. Having not yet been called into midweek action, Erik ten Hag's side are set to be put to the test.

As well as managing Premier League duties, which have been dealt a boost following the 3-0 win over Southampton on Saturday, United will now have to balance Carabao Cup action and next week, Europa League matchday yet again. For now though, there is a strange cross-section.

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, September 17 and 18, there will be Champions League games at the same time as League Cup fixtures. For United, they will be watching some of their biggest rivals - Arsenal, Manchester City, and Liverpool - play among the elite, while they are elsewhere.

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Starting with the visit of League One outfit Barnsley to Old Trafford, United have a trio of big games. They travel to Crystal Palace at the weekend before then getting their own Europa League campaign underway.

Unlike previous UEFA scheduling, not all games are going on at the same time, though. Due to a new feature of the revamped European competitions from this season onward, Champions League games will be played on Thursday this week with no matches in the other two competitions.

It is because this week is the dedicated Champions League-only matchweek. Later on this year, during the league phase, there will be one for the Europa League and Conference League as well, where no other games are played except in those competitions.

This week, for example, Arsenal are playing on Thursday rather than the