Manchester Utd – FC Copenhagen : Preview & Prediction
A special night awaits at Old Trafford when Manchester United play their first home game since the death of arguably their greatest ever player, Sir Bobby Charlton. Charlton, a survivor of the Munich air disaster, scored 249 goals in 758 appearances for the “Red Devils” club, and his defining moment came in the 1968 European Cup, scoring twice as United beat Benfica 4-1 in the final.
There can be no better inspiration for United’s current generation of players to try to salvage their sluggish UEFA Champions League (UCL) campaign, as Erik ten Hag’s side have no margin for error after losing their opening two Group A games. It will be essential to end a five-game winless run in the UCL (E2, P3), so an unbeaten home record against Danish opposition (G3, E1) ahead of the visit of Copenhagen should instill confidence that United can win three consecutive meetings in all competitions for the first time this season, following back-to-back 2-1 league successes over Brighton and, most recently, Sheffield United.
The Danish champions travel to Manchester having impressed in their first two UCL matches, but despite two admirable performances, Copenhagen only have one point to show for their efforts. The “Lions” have not progressed beyond the UCL group stage since 2010/11, and if they want that dismal record to change, victory at Old Trafford seems mandatory for Jacob Neestrup’s side.
However, Copenhagen have not won in the UCL group stage since 2016 (E4, P4), while they have struggled against English opponents over the years, winning just one of their 13 meetings against each other (E5, P7). An inconsistent recent run hardly inspires confidence that they can improve on that return, as while Copenhagen maintain their lead at the top of the Danish Super League, they have won just one of their last four matches in all competitions (E1, P2).
Players to watch: Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund began his senior career in Copenhagen, so he will look to live up to the “Law of the Ex” and build on his tally of three goals in two UCL appearances this season. Diogo Goncalves will look to eclipse him, with four of his seven goals this season coming between the 30th and 60th minutes.
Key stat: Man Utd have conceded six minutes after scoring on six occasions this season, four of which occurred in the UCL.
Manchester Utd – FC Copenhagen : Betting Tips
Manchester Utd – Win Odds: 1.35
