Manchester United v Copenhagen: Europa League predictions and free tips

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Manchester United v Copenhagen in the Europa League quarter-finals on Monday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 8pm Monday

Best bets

Manchester United -1 on handicap
3pts 5-6 Sky Bet

Team news

Manchester United
Phil Jones (knee) remains sidelined and so too are Luke Shaw and Axel Tuanzebe. Sergio Romero started in goal against LASK but Ole Gunnar Solskjaer may recall David de Gea.

Copenhagen
Michael Santos is suspended after clashing with a police officer during the last-32 tie at Celtic. Ragnar Sigurdsson, Viktor Fischer and Nicolaj Thomsen are injured.

Match preview

Manchester United started their Europa League campaign with a pair of 1-0 wins over Astana and Partizan Belgrade and a goalless draw against AZ Alkmaar but the Red Devils have sharpened up their attack significantly since then.

United finished the group stage with a 4-0 home win over AZ before thumping aggregate wins over Club Brugge (6-1) and LASK (7-1) to set up a quarter-final against Copenhagen in Cologne.

A 5-0 first-leg win against LASK meant Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was able to rest Paul Pogba, Bruno Fernandes, Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and Mason Greenwood for last week's return at Old Trafford.

Martial came off the bench to score a late winner on the night and Copenhagen may well struggle when the Frenchman and the rest of United's in-form attackers are restored to the starting line-up.

Like United, Copenhagen have warmed to their task as the Europa League campaign has progressed.

A forgettable group stage saw them qualify as runners-up to Malmo despite scoring only five goals in six games but they won 3-1 away to Celtic in the last 32 and turned around their last-16 tie against Istanbul Basaksehir with a 3-0 home victory last week.

A clash with a United side buoyed by their third-placed finish in the Premier League is a major step up in class and Copenhagen's form since the season restarted has been patchy.

Their hopes of retaining their Superliga title were dashed by a run of two points from six games in June and July, including a 3-1 defeat to new champions Midtjylland.

Manager Stale Solbakken deserves credit for rousing his side to overturn a 1-0 first-leg deficit against Turkish champions Basaksehir when Jonas Wind's diving header in the fourth minute set them on their way.

Wind added a penalty in the second half, taking his tally for the season to ten goals in just 14 Superliga and Europa League starts, and he looks the biggest goal threat for the Danes, who are missing suspended striker Michael Santos.

United, however, have myriad goalscoring options with Martial, Rashford and Greenwood offering pace and top-quality finishing in front of classy midfielders Pogba and Fernandes.

All ten of their Premier League wins in 2020 were by at least a two-goal margin, including 2-0 victories over top-four sides Chelsea and Manchester City, and they have demonstrated the strength of their squad in the Europa League.

Odion Ighalo, Fred, Scott McTominay, Juan Mata, Daniel James and Andreas Pereira were among the scorers in the 5-0 wins over Club Brugge and LASK and United can continue their free-scoring ways and cover a one-goal handicap against Copenhagen.

Key stat

Twelve of Manchester United's last 13 wins in all competitions have been by a margin of two or more goals.

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