Confident FC Copenhagen coach Jacob Neestrup is ready to shock Manchester United in an atmosphere he believes will be 100 times more intense than Old Trafford a fortnight ago.
Harry Maguire's header and Andre Onana’s stoppage-time spot-kick save secured Erik ten Hag’s stumbling Red Devils a much-needed 1-0 victory against the Danish champions.
It was a crucial win having lost their first two Group A games to Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, but United must now build on that triumph away to Copenhagen on Wednesday.
The hosts need a win themselves having secured one point despite going close in their first three fixtures and Neestrup believes their confident approach coupled with Parken’s intense atmosphere can hurt United.
"What can they expect? I would say with all the respect I felt when I stepped into Old Trafford, then I felt the historical atmosphere," the 35-year-old Copenhagen boss 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.
"For me, it’s not about hope. For me, it’s about strong belief that we can get a result.
"The penalty miss in the fifth minute of extra time was what was it was, but it was a totally equal game.
"I was a little bit surprised about some of the questions I got after the game from English journalists in terms of that we were quite tough to break down.
"The talk we had at half-time in our dressing room was that we thought it was tough to break the opponent down.
"In that picture I think the game over 95 minutes was totally equal and I expect the same tomorrow."
United are under scrutiny as they head to the Danish capital, having edged past Fulham 1-0 as they bounced back from back-to-back 3-0 home defeats to Manchester City and Newcastle.
Put to Neestrup that Copenhagen are facing a side in unconvincing form, he said: "But I don’t care. I also thought it was a perfect time to play Bayern Munich.
"We play at home, we are a big, big club in Copenhagen, so for me it really doesn’t matter.
"If we’re going to play a team tomorrow who have won 20 games in a row or, in terms of your words, are struggling a little bit, because for us it’s the same.
"We need a result. Best case three (points), next best it’s one. But the shape that the opponent arrive in I don’t care, really."
Wednesday’s match will see Rasmus Hojlund return to his hometown club, where his young brothers Emil and Oscar currently play.
Copenhagen midfielder Rasmus Falk, who played alongside the United striker during his time at Parken, said: "His strength is he is very, very fast, very, very strong, then his mentality.
"He wants to score goals, he wants to do the best all the time and the hunger he shows in the game is, for me, his biggest strength."
