Andre Onana's night was bookended by two saves. The first was from a speculative shot that was going five yards wide and the intervention signalled his unease. The second - in the 97th minute - has assured him of hero status among Manchester United followers for now, at least.

Jordan Larsson, the son of Henrik who begged his father to play with Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney back in 2006, had one shot to secure a point for Copenhagen from the penalty spot. Steve McClaren, the United coach, rushed to the edge of Copenhagen's technical area.

McClaren appeared to shout at Onana: "Don't jump." Onana dived right. His strong hand diverted the ball away from harm's way. Then he heard the final shrill amid the celebratory din.

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Onana was mobbed by teammates and those on the bench rushed to him. For much of the evening, he was unrecognisable from the confident 'keeper who dictated Inter Milan's play in the Champions League final.

The significance of the save cannot be magnified until the last knockings of the group stage but one point from nine would have been tantamount to a death knell for United. Instead, they are off the mark with a good win that became great with one save.

Something was rotten against the team from Denmark, so United turned to their own Dane to freshen things up.

Erik ten Hag is doubting his own decision-making but also atoning for it. Christian Eriksen was summoned at the interval to replace the defensive midfielder for the second match running at Old Trafford and galvanised United. They have now won their last three games.

An interrogative Danish journalist had demanded to know why Eriksen was not starting at Ten Hag's pre-match press conference on Tuesday. Some United supporters will be posing the same question.

Eriksen was as talismanic as he was in his first months at United and this was a contender for his finest performance of the calendar year. He gave United everything they lacked and his proficient cross was planted in by the growing Harry Maguire.

Maguire's renaissance continued with a first United goal since February 2022. He has started three successive games under Ten Hag for the first time and the resilience he displayed amid pantomime boos from fans in Dublin is more profound now.

It is telling Ten Hag turned to the master rather than the apprentice. In a summer that five England internationals secured high-profile transfers, Mason Mount is the only one out of the England squad.

United cut corners with Mount, plumping for the midfielder into the last year of his contract. Real Madrid and Arsenal, bolstered by £100m+ midfield enforcers, are the more ambitious clubs likelier to be in the draw for the round-of-16.

Eriksen, Ten Hag's second addition on a free, has represented superb value. This was the third home match running he was introduced at the interval and it would be remiss to discount him as a starter for Sunday's derby by virtue of his 31 years. Eriksen lined up in all three derbies last season.

The omission of Eriksen and Mount from the starting XI was counter-productive. United were devoid of a conductor as Ten Hag relied on one of his signings and one of the few in-form players. Sofyan Amrabat plodded through the first half and did not re-emerge for the second half.

Even in this era of recruitment analysts, football directors and worldwide scouting networks, United have still effectively signed a player on the back of an international tournament. They fell into that trap with Jordi Cruyff and Karel Poborsky after Euro 96.

McTominay is a good goal getter but Eriksen is the better midfielder and United backed Ten Hag with a £60million investment in Mount to bring dynamism to the midfield. Mount was an unused substitute again, 24 hours after his peer, James Maddison, tallied his eighth goal or assist for domestic pacesetters Tottenham.

United averted another inquest. There were boos at the interval and impatience was rife. Some United fans barracked Marcus Rashford for his purported lethargy and he responded by pressing and forcing the error.

The Old Trafford denizens were noticeably hush for the majority of the first half, dispirited by another anaemic half, The referee took mercy on all attendants by blowing for half-time 13 seconds prematurely.

Both Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho overran the ball to squander one-on-ones. Garnacho, an effective game-changer off the bench this term, has fluffed goalscoring opportunities on his last two outings.

For all of Ten Hag's pre-match eloquence about Sir Bobby Charlton, this United squad is more inspid than inspired. A stiff upper lip was required for the emergence of the lone piper playing 'We'll never die'. It evoked memories of the remembrance of Sir Matt Busby's passing in January 1994 and the commemorations for the 50th anniversary of the Munich air disaster in 2008.

Copenhagen's thoughtful supporters unveiled a banner for the minute's silence that read, 'Passion is what separates the good from the great. Rest in peace Sir Bobby Charlton'. "There's only one Bobby Charlton" was a recurring chant.

The vocal supporters relocated next to the away end intoned the Calypso long before kick-off, remembering the "football taught by Matt Busby" that Charlton mastered better than almost anyone.

Within eight minutes, Diogo Goncalves had hit the post and Copenhagen had hit three for the corner count. Ten Hag was so irked by United's start that he edged out of the technical area, imploring Antony to calm down and barked instructions at Diogo Dalot.

Ten Hag is becoming increasingly irate on the touchline. He despaired at a direct punt from Onana that still started United's most structured attack of the first half. Onana twice ballooned the ball into the stands, prompting one fan in front of the press box to rise to his feet and outstretch his arms. That was also the cue for thousands to head to the concourse for a half-time pie and a pint.

Those who left before full-time missed out.