Michael Carrick’s Manchester United future hangs by a thread, so he’ll hope happy memories against an in-form Roma side can resurrect their UEFA Champions League (UCL) campaign.
Match News and Current Form
After an encouraging first-half display, Manchester United imploded to lose 2-0 at Chelsea on Saturday, a result which extends their current winless run to nine matches (D3, L6). That’s their longest such streak since 1988 and leaves the Red Devils 17th in the Premier League, and things are no better in Europe where they’ve been beaten by 2+ goal margins in successive outings. United are currently enduring their worst-ever ten-game run in the history of this competition (W2, D1, L7), and could lose three successive games in the same UCL season for the first time since 2004/05 here. With his job surely on the line, Carrick will hope Old Trafford helps guide United home given that they’ve won seven successive European games there, scoring 4+ goals in their last four such outings.
Roma’s domestic fortunes are far better than their hosts, as a 5-2 thrashing of Udinese on Saturday, in which they rattled in four first-half goals, took the Giallorossi’s unbeaten run in Serie A to a staggering 17 games (W13, D4). Gian Piero Gasperini’s men also put four past Slovan Bratislava on matchday three to register their first win of the league phase (D1, L1), and while Roma are now unbeaten in their last six European away games (W3, D3), they’ve often struggled to travel at Europe’s top tier. They’ve managed just two wins from their last 20 UCL proper away games (D6, L12), while their 32-game streak without an away clean sheet is the longest by any side in competition history and started on this ground in 2007!
Head-to-Head History
Carrick scored twice in a 7-1 United rout in that game, making up part of the Red Devils’ 100% winning home record against Roma (W4). United have won 13 of their 17 UCL home games against Italian opponents (D1, L3), while Roma have never won an away game against an English side in the UCL proper (D3, L7).
Hot Stats and Streaks
Just one of United’s last six matches in all competitions produced over 9.5 corners.
United have failed to score in five of their seven defeats so far this season.
Roma have won just one of the last 28 UCL main draw away games in which they conceded the opener (D5, L22).
Ten of Roma’s last 11 competitive away wins came by a 2+ goal margin.
Key Players to Watch and Missing Players
United captain Bruno Fernandes directly contributed to five goals in his two European meetings with Roma (G2, A3), while six of his eight UCL strikes have come before half-time. Roma’s Donyell Malen already boasts five goal involvements in the UCL this season (G3, A2), with all three of those goals coming between the 50th and 60th minute.
Luke Shaw and Marcus Rashford remain injury concerns for United, while Roma’s list of absentees is headlined by Paulo Dybala.
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Betting Analysis
The United chaos machine makes over 2.5 goals the most tempting option here.
Author: Ryan Fisher