UEFA Champions League Preview: Manchester United vs Roma – Team News, Lineups & Prediction
Old Trafford is the venue as Manchester United and Roma go head-to-head in a high-stakes UEFA Champions League showdown. Tuesday’s encounter could determine Michael Carrick’s future in Manchester amid United’s worst run of form since the late 1980s.
Despite a decent first-half performance, Manchester United fell to a 2-0 home loss to Chelsea on Saturday and are now level on points with 18th-placed Crystal Palace in the Premier League. Furthermore, the Red Devils are enduring a dreadful nine-game winless streak in all competitions (D3, L6), their worst run since 1988.
Carrick’s position in the dugout is naturally under scrutiny ahead of this must-win clash against Roma. Indeed, after a 4-0 rout of Champions League debutants Sabah Baku, the Red Devils have lost back-to-back matches in this season’s group phase, slumping to multi-goal-margin defeats at Atletico Madrid and Como.
By contrast, Roma found a route into the win column after a two-game winless start (D1, L1), as Gian Piero Gasperini’s side thrashed Slovan Bratislava 4-0 on matchday three. That victory forms part of a promising five-game unbeaten run in all competitions (W4, D1), capped by a dominant 5-2 win at Udinese last weekend.
Therefore, the Serie A giants should take the Old Trafford pitch in high spirits, seeking their maiden triumph on United’s home ground.
Match Preview
Manchester United
Man Utd have beaten Roma in all four previous meetings at the Theatre of Dreams, including a 7-1 rout in 2007, with Carrick netting a brace in that fixture. The under-pressure United boss will be desperate to replicate that success on Tuesday, knowing anything other than a win would likely seal his fate at the club.
The Red Devils can draw confidence from their stellar home record against Italian opposition, having won 13 of their 17 Champions League matches against such rivals at Old Trafford (D1, L3). Moreover, they bring an impressive seven-game winning streak in European home games into this showdown, with each of their last four wins in that sequence seeing them score at least four goals.
However, the 20-time English champions have fared awfully in the Champions League lately. They are currently enduring their worst-ever ten-game run in this competition (W2, D1, L7). A lack of firepower could be United’s undoing here, as they’ve failed to get on the scoresheet in five of their seven defeats this season.
Roma
Scoring has not been an issue for free-firing Roma, with Gasperini’s high-flyers netting 2+ goals in six consecutive outings across all competitions. That sequence started with a gut-wrenching 4-3 home loss to Real Madrid in the Champions League, but they’ve since gone into overdrive, stringing together five straight games without losing (W4, D1).
Saturday’s demolition of Udinese extended Roma’s jaw-dropping unbeaten run in Serie A to 17 matches (W13, D4). However, the Giallorossi have struggled to translate their superb domestic form to the continental stage, securing just two wins from their last 20 Champions League fixtures on the road (D6, L12).
Defensive frailties have seen them go 32 successive Champions League road trips without a clean sheet, which doesn’t bode well as they bid to clinch their first-ever away win over English opposition in the Champions League proper (D3, L7). That said, Roma have not lost any of their last six European away games (W3, D3).
Team News
Patrick Dorgu, Luke Shaw, and Benjamin Sesko are definite absentees for the home team, while Marcus Rashford and Amad Diallo could make the bench. Misfiring Bryan Mbeumo should lead the line for Man Utd amid Matheus Cunha’s rough patch, with Bruno Fernandes, Mason Mount, and Youri Tielemans expected to line up behind the Cameroonian forward in Carrick’s 4-2-3-1 set-up.
Meanwhile, Roma are still without three major first-team stars as Paulo Dybala, Manu Kone, and first-choice goalkeeper Mile Svilar remain on the sidelines. The same applies to former captain Lorenzo Pellegrini, who’s struggling with a thigh injury, meaning Matias Soule is likely to make another start behind in-form Donyell Malen.
Manchester United vs Roma Potential Starting Lineups
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Lammens; Dalot, Maguire, Martinez, Mazraoui; Mainoo, Santos; Fernandes, Tielemans, Mount; Mbeumo.
Roma (4-3-2-1): Gollini; N’Dicka, Mancini, Hermoso; Molina, De Roon, Pisilli, Wesley; Cristante, Soule; Malen.
Manchester United vs Roma Prediction
Despite encountering little luck on their past visits to England, Roma fans have every reason to feel optimistic ahead of this trip. Given the chaotic situation at Old Trafford, this could be Roma’s best chance to end their drought on the island.
Prediction: Roma to Win
