Copenhagen vs Man United match facts

Having edged out Copenhagen at Old Trafford, Manchester United will look to repeat the feat in Denmark as they aim to continue their Group A revival.

The three-time winners claimed their first victory of the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League with a 1-0 success in Manchester on 24 October, Harry Maguire scoring the only goal in the 72nd minute – although it took an added-time penalty save from André Onana to deny Jordan Larsson an equaliser.

Those three points were United's first in this season's competition after defeats at Bayern München (3-4) and at home to Galatasaray (2-3), although they are now only one point behind the Turkish team.

Copenhagen, meanwhile, are in fourth position having collected just one point from their three games – from a 2-2 Matchday 1 draw at Galatasaray in which they conceded two late goals. The Danish champions were beaten 2-1 at home by Bayern in their first home game on Matchday 2.

Previous meetings 

United beat Copenhagen in the one-off UEFA Europa League quarter-final in Cologne, although it took extra time to finally divide the sides, Bruno Fernandes scoring the only goal from the penalty spot in the 95th minute.

The clubs' only other meetings before this season came in the 2006/07 Champions League. United won 3-0 at Old Trafford, Paul Scholes opening the scoring, before a fortnight later Copenhagen, who were in the group stage for the first time, claimed their first victory thanks to Marcus Allbäck's 73rd-minute winner. United ended up topping the group and went on to reach the semi-finals, while Copenhagen finished fourth with seven points.

Form guide

Copenhagen

Record vs English clubs: W1 D5 L8 F5 A19
Home record vs English clubs: W1 D3 L2

The Danish side were in the same Champions League section as United's neighbours Manchester City last season, holding the eventual champions to a 0-0 draw in Copenhagen on Matchday 4 having gone down 5-0 in Manchester a week earlier.

Matchday 3 made it seven games without a goal against Premier League clubs.

That 2006 success against United is Copenhagen's sole victory in 14 competitive matches against English clubs – and one of only four matches in which they scored.

Copenhagen are in the Champions League group stage for the sixth time, having made their first appearance since 2016/17 last season. No other Danish side has featured more than twice.

The Danish club finished fourth in their section for the third time in their five group campaigns in 2022/23, failing to win a game in Group G. They did, however, draw all three home matches, losing all three away including that 5-0 reverse at Manchester City that equalled their biggest European defeat.

Four of Copenhagen's five campaigns in the Champions League proper have ended in the group stage, the exception 2010/11 when they lost to Chelsea in the round of 16 (0-2 h, 0-0 a).

The Danish champions eased past Breidablik of Iceland in their first European tie this season in the second qualifying round (2-0 a, 6-3 h), but had to come through a tight third qualifying round contest against Sparta Praha, the first leg at Parken finishing scoreless before a 3-3 draw in Prague in which both teams scored twice in extra time, Copenhagen eventually prevailing 4-2 on penalties. They then edged past Polish champions Raków Częstochowa in the play-offs (1-0 a, 1-1 h).

The wins against Breidablik and in the first leg against Raków are Copenhagen's only victories in their last 15 European games (D7 L5), the first-leg success against the Icelandic side their only win in seven at home (D5 L1).

The Matchday 2 defeat by Bayern was only Copenhagen's second reverse in ten home European matches (W3 D5), the other a 4-0 defeat by PSV Eindhoven in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League group stage.

That defeat by Bayern ended the Danish side's six-match unbeaten home run in Champions League group games, drawing five, since a 2-0 defeat against Real Madrid on Matchday 6 in 2013/14. Those are two of only three losses in their 17 games at Parken in the Champions League, group stage to final (W6 D8).

Copenhagen claimed their record-equalling 15th Danish league title, all since 1993, and their fifth in eight seasons in 2022/23. They also lifted the Danish Cup to win a sixth domestic double.

Manchester United

Record vs Danish clubs: W7 D1 L2 F27 A8
Away record vs Danish clubs: W2 D0 L2

That 2020 tie against Copenhagen was United's last against a Danish club before Matchday 3.

United's previous encounters before that tie came against Midtjylland in the 2015/16 Europa League round of 32. They recovered from a 2-1 first-leg loss in Denmark to win 5-1 in Manchester, Marcus Rashford supplying two of the goals on his European debut.

The English side were 6-2 winners at Copenhagen's city rivals Brøndby in their first visit to Denmark, in the group stage of their victorious 1998/99 Champions League campaign, and also won 3-0 at Aalborg at the same stage in 2008/09, when they again reached the final.

This is United's 25th appearance in the Champions League group stage – more than any other English side and three behind the competition record of 28 held jointly by Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Red Devils last featured in 2021/22, when they finished first in their section ahead of Villarreal, Atalanta and Young Boys only to lose 2-1 on aggregate to Atlético de Madrid in the round of 16 (1-1 a, 0-1 h).

Erik ten Hag's team took part in the Europa League in 2022/23, finishing second in their section behind Real Sociedad and then beating Barcelona (2-2 a, 2-1 h) and Real Betis (4-1 h, 1-0 a) only to be eliminated in the quarter-finals by another Spanish side, eventual winners Sevilla (2-2 h, 0-3 a).

The defeat at Sevilla ended United's eight-match unbeaten run in European away games (W5 D3); however, a 2-0 win at Villarreal on Matchday 5 in 2020/21 is their only success in their last seven away Champions League matches (D2 L4).

European champions in 1968 – winning at Wembley, the venue for this season's final – 1999 and 2008, United were also Champions League runners-up to Barcelona in both 2009 and 2011, the latter final also held at Wembley.

The Manchester club were third in the Premier League in 2022/23, 14 points behind champions Manchester City, who also beat their local rivals 2-1 in the FA Cup final.

Links and trivia

Born in Copenhagen, Rasmus Højlund came through the ranks at his hometown club, making his first-team debut aged 17 in October 2020. He went on to score five goals – all in the 2021/22 UEFA Europa Conference League – in 32 appearances in all competitions before signing for Austrian side Sturm Graz in January 2022.

Højlund's brothers Oscar and Emil are both on the books at Copenhagen, the former coming on as an added-time substitute on Matchday 3 at Old Trafford

United's midfielder Christian Eriksen is a Denmark team-mate of Andreas Cornelius, Rasmus Falk, Nicolai Boilesen and Peter Ankersen.

Have played together:
Diogo Gonçalves & Victor Lindelöf (Benfica B 2014/15)
Nicolai Boilesen & Christian Eriksen (Ajax 2010–13)

Latest news

Copenhagen

The Danish champions have won four of their last five games in all competitions, the exception their Matchday 3 defeat at Old Trafford.

On Sunday Copenhagen came from 1-0 and 2-1 down to win 4-2 at Randers in the Danish Superliga. Rasmus Falk scored their first goal, his second of the season; he has two in his last four league matches, as many as in his previous 75 appearances.

Copenhagen's next three goals all came from substitutes. Victor Claesson was on target for the second successive league match before Jordan Larsson got his first league goal since 29 July and 17-year-old Victor Froholdt marked his league debut with an added-time strike.

Froholdt had also scored on his only previous first-team appearance, a 9-0 Danish Cup win at third division Lyseng on 27 September.

Copenhagen were 4-0 winners at home to Hvidovre on 28 October, Lukas Lerager opening the scoring after just 14 seconds – the fastest goal in Copenhagen's history.

Claesson was also on target, his first league goal of the season. The Swedish international was Copenhagen's top Danish league scorer in 2022/23 with 13 goals.

Roony Bardghji got the third goal and is Copenhagen's top scorer in the league in 2023/24 with seven.

Jacob Neestrup's side have won ten of their first 14 league games this season, losing only two.

Substitute Bardghji scored a late winner as Copenhagen won 1-0 at home to Midtjylland in the Danish Cup last 16 on 31 October.

The 17-year-old Bardghji is also Copenhagen's top scorer in all competitions this season with nine goals.

Winger Diogo Gonçalves has seven goals and five assists in all competitions this season, although his Matchday 1 strike at Galatasaray is his only goal since getting two in a 4-0 home win against Randers on 5 August.

Achouri has six assists in this season's Superliga, more than any other player.

Orri Óskarsson made his Iceland debut as a second-half substitute in a 3-1 EURO 2024 qualifying loss to Luxembourg on 8 September. He scored his first goal in a 1-1 home draw against Luxembourg on 13 October.

Right-back Elias Jelert made his Denmark debut in a 2-1 UEFA EURO 2024 qualifying victory away in San Marino on 17 October.

Birger Meling was replaced shortly before half-time in a 2-1 win against Velje on 21 October after picking up a muscle injury and has not played since.

Striker Andreas Cornelius was in the team against Midtjylland, his first start since 22 July in an injury-troubled campaign. He also started on Sunday but was replaced at half-time.

Davit Khocholava made his first appearance since 2 April against Hvidovre; the Georgian had been out with a knee injury. He was not involved on Sunday.

William Clem suffered a fractured foot on 16 October and is not expected to play again in 2023.

On 5 August, Nicolai Boilesen made his first appearance since suffering a cruciate ligament injury on 16 October 2022 but suffered a relapse in the fifth game of his comeback, the defeat against Silkeborg on 26 August. He returned again as a late substitute against Hvidovre and was an unused substitute on Sunday.

Mohamed Elyounoussi missed the cup win against Midtjylland with a minor injury. Gonçalves was replaced at half-time and was an unused replacement on Sunday, when Elyounoussi was not involved.

On 6 September, Copenhagen announced that goalkeeper Kamil Grabara will join Wolfsburg in July 2024, although the German club also have the option to complete the move in January.

Manchester United

On Saturday an added-time Bruno Fernandes strike gave United a 1-0 win at Fulham. It was the ninth time they have won a Premier League match with a goal in the 90th minute or later; only Liverpool, with ten, have more.

Fernandes has 122 goal involvements in 200 appearances for Manchester United in all competitions (67 goals, 55 assists), 33 more than any other player since his debut in February 2020; Marcus Rashford is second on 89.

All seven of the Red Devils' last seven Premier League wins have been by a one-goal margin.

United have won three consecutive away games in the Premier League for the first time since a ten-game run between June and December 2020.

United's three-game winning streak in all competitions was ended by a 3-0 home Premier League loss against neighbours Manchester City on 29 October.

Erik ten Hag's side have lost five of their opening 11 Premier League matches, winning the other six.

That is the most defeats United had suffered in their first ten league games since 1986/87, when they were beaten six times.

United have won eight matches in 2023/24, losing the other eight including seven of the last 13.

United lost three of their first five league matches for the first time since 1989/90 and, before keeping a clean sheet in a 1-0 win at Burnley on 23 September, had conceded at least twice in four successive Premier League games, equalling United's longest run in the competition from 2001.

United's 21 goals this season have been scored by 12 different players.

Casemiro is the team's leading scorer in all competitions in 2023/24 with four goals, one more than Rasmus Højlund. Scott McTominay has three Premier League goals, level with Fernandes – no other player has scored more than once in the league this season.

The Red Devils lost 3-0 at home to Newcastle in the English League Cup fourth round on 1 November. That was United's fifth home defeat of the season – three more than in the whole of 2022/23.

It was also the first time United had lost consecutive home games by three or more goals since October 1962, and the first time they had lost five of the first ten at home since 1930/31.

United lost eight of their first 15 games in a season for the first time since suffering nine defeats in 1962/63.

On 13 October Fernandes set up two goals as Portugal beat Slovakia 3-2 to seal their place at UEFA EURO 2024; Diogo Dalot also played 90 minutes. Three days later, Fernandes provided another assist and scored himself in a 5-0 victory away to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Christian Eriksen and Højlund both set up a goal as Denmark beat Kazakhstan 3-1 at Copenhagen's Parken on 14 October.

Rashford's goal helped England wrap up qualification for EURO 2024 with a 3-1 defeat of holders Italy at Wembley on 17 October, Harry Maguire also playing 90 minutes.

The same night, Højlund scored Denmark's first goal in a 2-1 home win in San Marino in which Eriksen also started.

Rashford missed Saturday's win at Fulham with a leg injury suffered in training the previous day, while Victor Lindelöf was absent due to illness.

Casemiro started against Newcastle having not played since picking up an ankle injury in Brazil's 2-0 defeat against Uruguay on 17 October but was withdrawn at half-time with a hamstring injury that United said will keep him out "for a number of weeks".

Aaron Wan-Bissaka came on at the interval against Newcastle having been out since picking up a hamstring injury as a late substitute in a 3-1 home defeat by Brighton on 16 September. He played 90 minutes on Saturday.

Lisandro Martínez was out between 3 and 16 September with an ankle problem and has not played since Matchday 1 due to a foot injury that United confirmed on 29 September will keep him on the sidelines for "an extended period".

Luke Shaw (muscle) has not played since a 2-0 loss at Tottenham on 19 August.

Tyrell Malacia has not played this season due to a knee injury while Kobbie Mainoo is also still to appear having suffered an ankle injury in pre-season, although he was on the bench at the weekend.