
Date: Tuesday 24th October, 2023
Time: 8:00 pm
Stadium Old Trafford
Referee Marco Guida (Italy)
Goal Scorer:
Manchester United
As Dries Mertens latched onto a poor pass from Andre Onana, Casemiro had little choice but to bring the Belgian down inside the box and was sent for an early bath for his troubles, ruling the Brazilian out of the visit of Copenhagen through suspension.
Casemiro sat out the win over Sheffield United due to a blow to the ankle anyway, and he is joined on the absentee list by Amad Diallo (knee), Lisandro Martinez (foot), Jadon Sancho (disciplinary), Kobbie Mainoo (ankle), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (muscle), Tyrell Malacia (knee), and Luke Shaw (muscle), but there is optimism that Sergio Reguilon will recover from his hamstring niggle.
Harry Maguire more than justified his inclusion in the first XI against Sheffield United and can feel hopeful of retaining his spot in the backline here, but it would be a surprise not to see Raphael Varane return in place of Jonny Evans.
While Casemiro has incurred a suspension, Copenhagen will welcome defender Elias Jelert back from a continental ban served in the loss to Bayern, but Lerager and Birger Meling are now one caution away from sitting out a game themselves.
Manchester United possible starting lineup:
Onana; Dalot, Varane, Maguire, Reguilon; Eriksen, McTominay; Antony, Fernandes, Rashford; Hojlund
Copenhagen
In any case, Meling was a first-half casualty of Copenhagen's Superliga victory at the weekend, and Neestrup has conceded that he does not expect the left-back to play again before the November international break; Christian Sorensen should step in.
William Clem (broken leg), Noah Sahsah (knee) and Nicolai Boilesen (unspecified) are also out of contention for the Danish champions, whose matchwinner from the weekend - Mohamed Elyounoussi - will make a swift return to English soil after leaving relegated Southampton over the summer.
Eighteen-year-old midfielder Oscar Hojlund will reunite with older brother Rasmus Hojlund on Tuesday night, but the former is set for a place on the Copenhagen bench.
Copenhagen possible starting lineup:
Grabara; Jelert, Diks, Vavro, Sorensen; Lerager, Falk, Claesson; Achouri, Larsson, Elyounoussi
Prediction: Manchester United 2-1 Copenhagen
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