How are team who edged out Hibs leading Europa League table?

Having started their European campaign by making heavy weather of dispatching Hibernian in the Europa League's second qualifying round, it is fair to describe Midtjylland as surprise leaders of the competition after three rounds of matches.

With respect to Hibs, who played well in those two games losing only to a stunning Junior Brumado bicycle kick with little more than a minute left of extra time at Easter Road, the Danes looked pretty ordinary in July.

They haven't looked back since though, losing once all season as they powered their way through the rest of the qualifiers, battering Fredrikstad 5-1 and KuPS 6-0, to reach the league stage.

A 1-1 home draw on Monday against domestic league leaders Aarhus keeps them tucked in two points behind, so the team Celtic will face on Thursday looks to have found a rhythm.

So what's changed? Well, the manager for a start.

Step forward former Hearts loanee Mike Tullberg (remember him?), brought in to replace Thomas Thomasberg, who can probably consider himself unfortunate to have been dismissed after an unbeaten start to the campaign.

But, having secured that Europa League place, he was sacked from his second spell in charge and replaced by the 39-year-old Tullberg, who came in from Borussia Dortmund, where he had spent six years with different age-group teams.

He was chosen for his ability to develop youngsters while also getting results, according to director of football Jacob Larsen.

His first game in charge was a 1-0 defeat at Nordsjaelland, their first and only reverse to date, after which Tullberg switched from a four to a three at the back, which has been in place since, apart from the opening Europa League win at home against Sturm Graz.

Midtjylland have won all but two of their 11 games since that loss, with the real statement victory coming at the City Ground as they helped ensure Ange Postecoglou's Nottingham Forest reign was a short one with a fabulous 3-2 win.

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