FC Copenhagen manager Jacob Neestrup has fired a warning to the Manchester United players ahead of tonight’s game in Denmark.
Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United go into the game knowing that a win is needed, by any means necessary, otherwise, their Champions League fate will be out of their hands.
The Danish side provided a stern test of United’s character at Old Trafford and if not for a dramatic penalty save from Andre Onana, the in-form goalkeeper, then the Red Devils would be staring down the barrel of elimination already.
Now, Jacob Neestrup has provided a warning ahead of the crucial clash in Denmark.
Neestrup warning
Speaking to the media ahead of the clash, the 35-year-old seemed bullish about his side’s chances against the three-time winners of the competition.
“What can they [United] expect? I would say with all the respect I felt when I stepped into Old Trafford, then I felt the historical atmosphere,” Neestrup said.
“But you can’t compare Old Trafford with Parken because the intensity is times 100 in terms of what we played in two weeks ago. Then this is a standard [that], for me, is way above Premier League, to be honest.”
He continued: “For me, it’s not about hope. For me, it’s about a strong belief that we can get a result.”
United’s worry
There have been times against hostile atmospheres in the past when the Red Devils have crumbled under the pressure. The 7-0 defeat to Liverpool or the 3-0 defeat to Sevilla in the Europa League come to mind.
This time, however, it needs to be different. How the Red Devils set up will be crucial to their chances of winning, does Ten Hag go for energy in the midfield or does he go for more creativity in the engine room?
He needs to get this right because if he gets it wrong and United succumb to their third defeat in four Champions League group games, then his future will be, rightly, called into question once again.
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