Europa League
Date: Monday, 10 August 2020
Kick-off at 20:00 UK/ 21:00 CET
Venue: RheinEnergieStadion.
Match preview
After the end of their exhausting domestic schedule, United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer immediately took the opportunity to rest his star for 16 second leg of their tie with Lask Linz.
Leading 5-0 from the opening match, England secured their progress with a scrappy 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial.
And submit the minutes to his reserve players are needed, they will strengthen the performance Solskjaer feeling that a gap has emerged between the first XI and the rest of the squad.
While below-par showing mainly to a lack of match sharpness, none of the nine outfield players who came to the team staked their claim for the role on Monday night.
However, less uncertainty over his selection Solskjaer may be appropriate at this stage of the season when United made a bid to live up to their favorites tag competition.
Although the draw is undoubtedly good for the Premier League giants, they should be wary of Copenhagen enjoyed the chance to play without any pressure on their shoulders.
Stale Solbakken has worked wonders to get the club to stage the competition, only suffered two defeats in 10 matches since the start of the group stage.
As with their next opponents, the draw has been good, but the Copenhagen underdog heading into knockout ties against Celtic and Istanbul Basaksehir.
Their latest success, with a 3-0 margin on Wednesday, came after losing the first leg in Turkey, and it is the second consecutive match in which they had to recover from a bad result in the opening match.
That said, face England in a one-off contest in Cologne will suit this team as the former Wolves boss Solbakken appearance to remind people in the UK of the credentials of coaching after his disastrous spell at Molineux.
Team News
Phil Jones did not travel with Manchester United to the final of the Europa League with a knee injury, manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has confirmed.
The 28-year-old has had a difficult season and the FA Cup fourth round win at Tranmere in January was the last of eight appearances in all competitions.
Jones has been sidelined since football is back from suspension coronavirus but named in United's 30-man squad for the Europa League final-eight tournament in Germany.
However, the defender will not feature in the quarter-final against Copenhagen or out with a knee problem which saw him remain in Manchester.
"Phil has to follow individual training programs throughout the post-lockdown to optimize recovery from a knee injury," Solskjaer told United's website.
"This is a good opportunity as we have sufficient cover in a defensive position for the remaining Premier League matches and he will continue to work with a fitness trainer at Aon Training Complex, while the squad was in Germany."
Ethan Galbraith, Ethan Laird and defender 18 years Teden Mengi, who made his debut against Lask on Wednesday, among them in the squad in Cologne. Axel Tuanzebe and Luke Shaw eliminated from the Europa League squad renewed for season-ending injury.
Solskjaer used to play with the Copenhagen boss Stale Solbakken, who admitted the UK is a big favorite.
Guillermo Varela, who played 11 times for England during the 2015/16 season, will line up at right back. Wind Jonas scored two goals and provided an assist against Basaksehir, making Copenhagen the danger.
Manchester United v Copenhagen: Possible XI
Manchester United predictable XI (4-3-3): Sergio Romero; Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof, Harry Maguire, Brandon Williams; Paul Pogba, Nemanja Matic, Bruno Fernandes; Mason Greenwood, Anthony Martial, Marcus Rashford
Copenhagen predicted XI (4-2-3-1): Karl-Johan Johnsson; Guillermo Varela, Victor Nelsson, Andreas Bjelland, Nicolai Boilesen; Jens Stage, Zeca; Pep Biel, Jonas Wind, Rasmus Falk; Mikkel Kaufmann
Score predicted:
Britain will be seen as very much a favorite to advance in this game, but we'll have to be very vigilant against FC Copenhagen. It is entirely possible that our opponents will look to sit back and let us have tried to thwart the majority ownership in our style of play. We have to look out for their forward Jonas Wind, which will be one of those dangers after netting a brace and gave an assist against Istanbul Basaksehir. However, we have more than enough quality in the field if Ole was the beginning of regular playing eleven overcome our opponents Denmark and reach the last four of the competition.
Prediction: Manchester United 3-1 FC Copenhagen
