Both coach Mario Zagallo and assistant Zico seemed to be getting their Michaels and Brians mixed up this week but they are certain of one thing: the Laudrups veteran mid-fielder Michael and striker Brian pose a significant threat to their hopes of a fifth world title. ``It's Michael, let's call him the older one, who runs the mid-field,'' said Brazil coach Mario Zagallo, who still appeared somewhat confused.

``We mustn't give the older one space. We can't let him get into a position where he has the ball under control and is running at our defence.''

Zagallo said the football played by Brazil in the second-half of last Saturday's 4-1 win over Chile was exactly what he had wanted to see all along. ``This is how I wanted us to play from the start and is how we will play for the rest of thetournament,'' he said.

The Danes, who beat Nigeria by the same score on Sunday, said their performance was the nearest they had come to reproducing the play that delighted the world in Mexico 12 years ago.

``I'm very happy because we played the same sort of football that Denmark played in 1986, which is what I wanted us to do from the start,'' said coach Bo Johannson.

``You just never know what sort of game you are going to see,'' said Johanssen. ``It was the same in the qualifying tournament when we played terribly against Bosnia and lost 3-0 but a month later were very good when we beat Croatia. It's impossible to know.''

A climate of mutual respect surrounds the game, a far cry from the war of words which preceded Brazil's first-round match with Norway, a clash which ended with Zagallo claiming his opponents played ``anti-football.''

``Denmark have got nothing to do with Norway,'' said the ``old wolf.'' ``They play good football themselves and they let their opponents play football. It will be agood game. I like Denmark, but I like Brazil even more.''

Brian Laudrup said: ``They are the world champions and are fantastic team full of attacking players, but all the pressure is on them. They must attack us but we know we will get chance to hit them on the break. It suits our style and after the way we played against Nigeria anything can happen.''

Brazil are almost certain to field the same team which started against Chile, with Bebeto again in the team and Denilson, the world's most expensive substitute player.

The main worry is a defence that has looked shaky throughout the competition and the form of Ronaldo, who despite three goals has yet to reach the dizzy heights expected of him.