It’s now or never for Manchester United. The Red Devils have had a bad start this season, with just one win from nine matches in the Premier League. Their position is no better in the Champions League, with one win from three matches. If they don’t improve on their record, the Red Devils are set for another humiliating exit after their third-round loss in the EFL Cup.
The Red Devils now face Italian powerhouse AS Roma in a must-win match tomorrow, i.e., November 4. Roma aren’t very different from the Red Devils, having won only 1 match out of the three games played in the Champions League. However, their record in Serie A is much better. The Italian club is currently in third place, just behind SS Lazio and Inter Milan. They will be looking forward to extending their winning record when they compete against Manchester United at their home ground in Old Trafford.
Last 5 Games
Everything has been going downhill for the Red Devils in the past few weeks. They lost their previous Champions League match to Como 4-1. If that was enough, United faced another humiliating loss from Chelsea on October 31 in the Premier League. Team manager Michael Carrick knows that his team cannot afford to repeat any more mistakes. He wouldn’t like to be known as the coach who led the Red Devils to their first relegation since 1992, when the Premier League was officially established.
AS Roma are having a great time in stark contrast to their English counterparts. They crushed Slovan Bratislava in the previous Champions League match held on October 21 with a huge margin of 4-0. The Wolves [I Lupi in Italian] also won their previous Serie A match against Udinese Calcio by 5-2. As such, coach Gian Piero Gasperini would like nothing better than a thumping win against the Red Devils in their own backyard.
Manchester United: 21st [Champions League only]
Loss: 4-1 vs Como
Loss: 2-0 vs Atletico Madrid
Win: 4-0 vs Sabah
AS Roma: 15th [Champions League Only]
Win: 4-0 vs Slovan Bratislava
Loss: 4-3 vs Real Madrid
Draw: 1-1 vs Fenerbahce
Team News
Manchester United finally have some good news ahead of the crucial match against AS Roma. Harry Maguire will be back in action for the match against Roma. Lisandro Martinez won’t be returning to action in the Premier League after being given two yellow cards in the match against Chelsea. However, he will continue to play for the Red Devils in the Champions League, which includes the upcoming match against AS Roma. Unfortunately, not everyone is as lucky. Players like Patrick Dorgu, Luke Shaw, Benjamin Sesko, and Manuel Ugarte will remain out of action due to long-term injuries.
On the other hand, Pierluigi Gollini will replace Mile Svilar as the goalkeeper for the match between Roma and United. Gianluca Mancini is also expected to return to action after a long time. He was not in the main team when Roma won the Serie A match against Udinese. Rodrigo Mora will be allowed some rest, which gives an opportunity to Niccolo Pisilli, Marten de Roon and Bryan Cristante in the central midfield.
Possible Lineups
Manchester United [4-2-3-1]:
Senne Lammens, Leny Yoro, Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Diogo Dalot, Kobbie Mainoo, Andrey Santos, Bryan Mbeumo, Youri Tielemans, Bruno Fernandes and Matheus Cunha
AS Roma [3-4-2-1]:
Pierluigi Gollini, Gianluca Mancini, Evan Ndicka, Mario Hermoso, Emanuele Lulli, Marten De Roon, Niccolò Pisilli, Wesley Franca, Matias Soulé, Bryan Cristante and Donyell Malen
Head-to-Head
Manchester United and AS Roma haven’t faced each other as much as other sides in the Champions League. The two clubs have clashed with each other on 8 occasions in multiple tournaments to date. Out of the eight matches, the Red Devils have won 5 of them, while Roma have won 2. 1 match has ended in a draw.
The two sides last faced each other in the second semifinal of the UEFA Europa League for the 2020-21 season. Roma won the match 3-2, but the Red Devils made it to the final, having won 8-5 on aggregate.
Where will the Game be Decided?
Bryan Mbeumo and Bruno Fernandes have been the top goalscorers for the Red Devils. Unfortunately, they have received negligible support from the midfield or even the defense, which is why they are mostly fighting a lost cause right now. However, Leny Yoro could be of great help. He was given a one-match suspension for tackling a player in Manchester United’s 2-0 loss against Atletico Madrid.
For AS Roma, all they need to do is build consistent pressure on an already vulnerable defence from Manchester United. The blueprint is simple: attack the space behind the United full-backs, force the midfield into submission, and let the attacking lineup do the rest.
Prediction
Manchester United are theoretically the better team in the clash against AS Roma. However, in the past few years, the Italian club has more than matched their opponent on multiple fronts. It will be tough to determine the outcome of the match, but audiences can expect a tight clash between the two sides when they compete tomorrow.
The Red Devils have a minor edge over AS Roma. However, the Italian club is no longer a pushover, and coach Gasperini would like nothing better than a comprehensive victory against the Red Devils tomorrow.
Our Prediction: Manchester United 1-2 AS Roma
Odds
Manchester United win: 13/10
Draw: 14/5
AS Roma win: 17/10
The odds indicate that the Red Devils have a minor edge over Roma. As per bet365, the bookmakers are slightly more favorable to Manchester United despite their poor run of form in the last few matches. However, they haven’t ruled out the possibility of an upset either.
KickOff Time
Manchester United vs Roma kicks off at 8 PM GMT [01:30 AM IST] at Old Trafford tomorrow. Jesus Gil Manzano will be the main referee for the match; Juan Martínez Munuera will be the fourth official, while Carlos del Cerro Grande will be on VAR and Cuadra Fernández will be assisting him.
