Over the last few weeks, in what has been a highly pressurised period in games, the Manchester United squad have noted a shift in training. Erik ten Hag has been doing a conspicuous amount of fitness work. Some players feel this has been more of a focus than tactical sessions. Critics and opposition analysts might well say that’s obvious, given that even FC Copenhagen dominated the ball for long periods of that Champions League-saving win at Old Trafford. One of the themes of the season has been how United just haven’t played anything close to Ten Hag’s supposed tactical ideal. Many of the recent games have actually been reminiscent of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s time, especially in how individual inspiration has brought wins out of unconvincing collective displays. That’s also why their fitness work may be important. Durability has been one of the few current qualities keeping United going, and may well prevent Ten Hag from emulating Solskjaer in another way. It may stop them from going out in the group stage again, just as they did in 2020-21. Early elmination isn’t just something that should be put at Solskjaer’s feet, though, nor is it the sole motivation for Wednesday’s game in the Danish capital. United are in some way playing for their modern Champions League legacy. The club’s dismal recent record in the world’s elite competition is as telling a measure as any other of their recent malaise. They may have never dropped out of thhe Deloitte Football Money League top five in terms of revenue, but they barely trouble the Champions League last eight. United haven’t even been to the last four since 2011, which was also the last time they reached the final. In the time since, United have qualified for the competition eight times and gone out at the group stage three times. That is more than they’ve reached the quarter-finals, which has been just twice. Among the clubs to finish above them in their groups since then are Benfica, Basel, PSV Eindhoven, Wolfsburg, Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain. One of a few ambitions for Copenhagen here is to become another name on a fairly moderate list. They’re well aware they can claim a potentially decisive result, as performance in the 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford showed. Copenhagen got significant confidence from it, despite is ending. They know they should have claimed at least a draw, only for Andre Onana to stop Jordan Larsson’s penalty in what could yet prove to be a hinge moment in the campaign. For the moment, the feeling in Copenhagen is one of huge excitement. It can be sensed in all of their pre-match talk, and how they consider themselves favourites. Ten Hag was diplomatic there. “They are entitled to feel like they are favourites,” the United coach said, before playing all that down. “We’ll go into the game with confidence and aiming to win as well.” That latter point may have raised more eyebrows than Copenhagen’s proclamation since United just do not look like a confident side right now. They instead seem to be playing with the knowledge that one thing going wrong can lead to everything going wrong. A relatively fortuitous late 1-0 win at Fulham doesn’t wave away what happened against Manchester City and Newcastle United. A second victory in a row would admittedly help a bit more, especially one so important for their Champions League future. That sums up where United are right now. It’s like they’re constantly just trying to just get through it, to get to the next step in order to give themselves, the many injured players and their manager some breathing space. Bigger ideas about tactical philosophies can wait. Ten Hag referenced this when he discussed how to improve performance. “By getting more to our best 11 and getting routines in the team. So far, we’ve had to change a lot. The midfield balance is also not there. I'm sure once we get there, we’ll play better.” This is one match when they can’t afford to wait. Otherwise, it will be more of the same in the Champions League, while making that record worse. Ten Hag badly needs to avoid defeat. Physical form can be decisive there, since United do just have higher quality than Copenhagen. That might make it another of those where superior execution late on proves decisive. It shouldn’t really be coming down to games like this, though, when the financial gap between the two clubs is so vast. You just wouldn’t guess it from United’s Champions League record. Read More Rumours: Chelsea and Man Utd want £43m full-back as Arsenal delay Toney chase Jacob Neestrup: Parken atmosphere is 100 times more intense than Old Trafford Manchester United receive devastating Casemiro injury update Alejandro Garnacho to face no punishment over Andre Onana gorilla emoji post What do Arsenal, Man City, Man United and Newcastle need to reach last UCL 16? Christian Eriksen’s trip to Copenhagen is a homecoming with a difference

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Ireland crashed out of the Women’s World Cup after Canada came from behind to beat them 2-1 on Wednesday. Spain and Japan reached the last 16 with a game to spare. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at all of Wednesday’s action. Spain cruise into last 16 Jenni Hermoso and Alba Redondo scored twice as Spain thumped Zambia 5-0 to reach the last 16. One of the tournament favourites made the knockout stages with a game to spare having already beaten Costa Rica in their first match. Teresa Abelleira opened the scoring before Hermoso and Redondo took charge as Spain eased to victory. Japan ease past Costa Rica Japan also qualified for the last 16 with a routine win over Costa Rica. Quickfire first-half goals from Hikaru Naomoto and Aoba Fujino saw the 2011 champions through. Japan and Spain will battle it out for top spot in their final Group C game when they face each other on Monday. Canada fight back to break Irish hearts Ireland bowed out of the tournament after Canada came from behind to win in Group B. Captain Katie McCabe gave Ireland the lead when she scored straight from a corner after just four minutes. Megan Connolly’s own goal levelled just before half-time and Adriana Leon grabbed Canada’s winner eight minutes after the break. Picture of the day Post of the day Quote of the day I'm just heartbroken for the girls because of how we played. I'm just heartbroken Ireland captain Katie McCabe Up next Group E: USA v Netherlands (2am, Wellington Regional Stadium)Group E: Portugal v Vietnam (830am, Waikato Stadium)Group B: Australia v Nigeria (11am, Brisbane Stadium) Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tottenham owner Joe Lewis indicted in the US for ‘brazen insider trading scheme’ 5 talking points ahead of England’s final Ashes Test against Australia From colouring zones to custom coffees – Inside England’s World Cup base

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Under-fire manager Stephen Kenny was spared further punishment as the Republic of Ireland eased to a 4-0 Euro 2024 qualifying victory over Gibraltar. Brighton teenager Evan Ferguson fired the visitors into an eighth-minute lead at the Estadio Algarve with his third senior international goal before Celtic winger Mikey Johnston, Wolves defender Matt Doherty and substitute Callum Robinson struck to wrap up just a second win of the Group B campaign. Kenny had gone into the game insisting he would remain in charge until a review of his reign has been carried out after November’s fixtures, although a poor result here would only have increased the clamour for change. In the event, Ireland negotiated a game they should have won comfortably with the minimum of fuss to complete a double over the minnows ahead of next month’s trip to the Netherlands. Once again, there will be only pride at stake in Amsterdam, with hopes of automatic qualification having been extinguished by Friday night’s 2-0 home defeat by Greece, and even the possibility of a play-off place looks ever more faint by the day. The games against Gibraltar, who have now played 44 European Championship and World Cup qualifiers and not collected a single point, were never going to be the yardstick for the Football Association of Ireland’s review and, while embarrassment was avoided with ease, difficult questions remain for a manager whose 28 competitive fixtures have yielded just six wins. Kenny, who once again deployed a back four rather than his usual three, handed Johnston a first senior international start in the search for much-needed creativity. However, it was from the opposite flank that the visitors struck first when Chiedozie Ogbene rolled a pass into the overlapping Doherty’s run and the unmarked Ferguson steered his eighth-minute cross past helpless goalkeeper Dayle Coleing. Luton striker Ogbene continued to look Ireland’s most potent weapon from wide on the right and, with Josh Cullen probing from central midfield, they dominated possession without creating clear-cut openings. They might have extended their lead when Ryan Manning’s 24th-minute corner was allowed to travel across the six-yard-box untouched, but Shane Duffy was unable to stab it home beyond the far post. Coleing was forced to palm away Johnston’s swerving attempt after he had skipped past Tjay de Barr and Liam Walker seconds later. The Celtic man did get his name on the scoresheet with 29 minutes gone when Doherty accepted another Ogbene pass in the space between defenders Jayce Olivero and John Sergeant and crossed for the winger to slide in and, after his initial attempt had come back off a post, bundle the rebound across the line. Coleing had to race from his line to prevent Johnston from reaching Jamie McGrath’s defence-splitting pass seven minutes before the break and then blocked Ferguson’s stabbed effort after Johnston had pulled the ball back. Walker mustered Gibraltar’s first effort in stoppage time after De Barr robbed Johnston and ran into space down the right, but the midfielder’s attempt flew harmlessly wide. Coleing plucked McGrath’s header out of the night sky after he had connected with Ogbene’s cross and then blocked Jason Knight’s firm drive, but he was a relieved man when Duffy’s volley from a Johnston corner flew just wide in a flurry of activity at the start of the second half. Knight sent a diving header wide from Johnston’s 51st-minute cross with the Gibraltar defence at sixes and sevens and Ferguson was unable to hit the target with a free-kick from 25 yards as the Republic looked to kill off the game. Johnston saw a shot deflected wide on the hour but then delivered a corner which was cleverly flicked on by McGrath for Doherty to head past the keeper from point-blank range. Substitute Robinson completed the job with an 80th-minute header to match the 4-0 scoreline when the sides last met in Faro in 2015. Read More England Under-21s fall to late defeat against Ukraine A closer look at the five sports given the go-ahead for the 2028 Olympic Games Kyle Walker eyes ‘little bit of payback’ as England host Italy England ‘not too concerned’ despite World Cup hopes hanging by a thread Jordan Henderson set to face Italy despite England boos 5 talking points as Northern Ireland look for back-to-back wins

Zach Hyman scored three goals in the first period and the Edmonton Oilers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-1 win against the Seattle Kraken

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