An hour or more before kick-off, on the stadium concourses around the Old Trafford ground Sir Bobby Charlton graced for so many years, above the posters of some of Manchester United’s current players sipping from cups emblazoned with the name of the club’s official coffee partner, television screens showed footage of the 1968 European Cup final.

Groups of fans, some of whom had laid wreaths at the foot of the statue of Charlton, George Best and Denis Law on the stadium forecourt, stood transfixed, staring up at the grainy action from that May night at Wembley when Charlton scored the first goal and the last in United’s 4-1 victory over Benfica that might just have been his finest hour.

Every detail seemed crystal clear, the way Brian Kidd’s simple square pass skipped a little on the uneven turf just before it reached Charlton, who used the bounce to clip it across the Benfica goalkeeper and lift it past his dive. That goal sealed United’s victory. And when the final whistle blew, the camera lingered on Charlton.

Charlton bowed his head for a second and then looked up to make sure he found a Benfica player to commiserate with. That was Charlton. Always thinking about sportsmanship. Always thinking about doing things right. Always thinking about honouring the memory of his friends who had died in the Munich air disaster ten years earlier.

Kick-off against FC Copenhagen drew nearer. Still the knots of supporters lingered. The screens showed pictures of Charlton lying in a bed at Munich’s Rechts der Isar Hospital, his head bandaged, a cut on his right cheek and a graze on his left, the only outward signs of the trauma that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

Andre Onana’s last-gasp penalty save ensured Manchester United won their first game of the Champions League group stage

There was also redemption for Harry Maguire whose powerful header was the only goal in Man United’s win over Copenhagen

It was a poignant night at Old Trafford as the club made a moving tribute to the late great Sir Bobby Charlton

And when they walked up the steps from the concourses to gaze down on the grass that looked so brilliantly green in the floodlight glare, those who were sitting in the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand, turned to look at the directors’ box to see a wreath placed in the seat where England’s greatest player had watched his successors flit across the turf he had once bestrode.

As journalists walked out to the press box, they passed some words on the wall written by David Meek, the legendary Manchester Evening News reporter a year or so after the Munich tragedy.

‘Charlton has developed poise and confidence,’ Meek wrote. ‘Perhaps it was the realisation that no longer was he just one of the youngsters but an older hand on whom rested a great deal of responsibility for United’s recovery.’

Before the match began, a lone piper led United manager Erik ten Hag, Alex Stepney, the goalkeeper from the 1968 side and the United Under 19 youth team captain, Dan Gore, on a march to the centre circle to lay another wreath.

Rarely has an occasion made it feel more as if a current United side is playing in the shadow of giants and if that is partly because Charlton — who died on Saturday aged 86 — was probably the best English footballer there has ever been, it is also because Ten Hag’s United look a million miles away from a side capable of walking in the footsteps of Sir Matt Busby’s teams of the Fifties and Sixties and lifting European football’s most coveted prize.

This is a tentative, timid, restless, uncertain, disjointed United team that has lost its way this season and went into the game against Copenhagen knowing that after losing its first two group games against Bayern Munich and Galatasaray, it desperately needed to beat the Danes.

It was tempting to wonder where was the modern equivalent of ‘the older hand’ Meek had written about. Where was there a man ready to take on the responsibility to lead United out of this wilderness as Charlton had done in far more grievous circumstances all those decades ago.

It is a pity but there is very little sign of leadership in this United team. There is no one with the stature that United once found in Charlton. Maybe such a player will emerge from these ranks but it was hard to discern that possibility.

If anything, United looked overawed by the tributes to Charlton. Five minutes after the start, Copenhagen nearly took the lead. Mohamed Elyounoussi broke through a weak tackle from Harry Maguire, raced down right and crossed deep to the back post where Diogo Goncalves met it with his right foot.

The victory was a sigh of relief for Erik ten Hag as they get their European campaign going after losing their first two games

Ten Hag laid a wreath for Sir Bobby in the centre-circle before kick-off as Old Trafford paid their respects to the England great

Copenhagen’s Diogo Goncalves nearly opened the score as he hit the post during a promising early spell for the visitors

Goncalves steered the ball towards goal and left Andre Onana flat-footed in the United goal but it bounced back off the right-hand post. A scramble followed and Elyounoussi tried to force home the loose ball but it was deflected behind for a corner. These were nervous moments for United. Copenhagen looked by far the more accomplished and assured side, passing the ball through and around the home team and making them look dull and ponderous. It was easy to see why they had taken the lead in their previous matches against Bayern and Galatasaray.

United finally burst into action when Marcus Rashford curled a superb pass into Rasmus Hojlund and the striker turned quickly and lashed a venomous shot just too high but that was the best that the home side could offer in a disappointingly pallid opening half.

Copenhagen carved the United defence open again five minutes after the interval and Onana produced a fine, flying save to keep out a shot from Lukas Lerager. A couple of minutes later, United finally forced a chance of their own but Kamil Grabara saved brilliantly low to his right from half-time substitute Christian Eriksen.

Scott McTominay gave away a stoppage time penalty for this challenge on Copenhagen’s Mohamed Elyounoussi

Onana came to McTominay’s rescue by saving the penalty from Jordon Larsson with the final kick of the game

Midway through the half, a fine pass from Bruno Fernandes played Alejandro Garnacho clean through but the substitute’s first touch let him down and he overran the ball.

It was 19 minutes from the end when United got the breakthrough they scarcely deserved. Eriksen curled over a superb cross from the right and Maguire, who has spent much of his recent United career on the margins of the squad but is as close to a leader as this team has, forced his way in front of a defender and guided his header past Grabara.

United nearly blew it deep into added time when Scott McTominay tried to clear a high ball but connected with Elyounoussi instead. Jordan Larsson took the penalty but Onana flung himself to his left to beat it away and the stadium erupted with joy and relief.

It was a modest, unconvincing win but it did at least give United their first points in European competition this season. It would have made Charlton smile if he had been sitting in that seat in the directors’ box where the wreath lay. And on this night of all nights, that was enough.