Gasperini chases 300th Serie A win as Roma face Inter: 'They are stronger, we need great clarity'

Roma led Manchester United at Old Trafford through goals from Soulé and Malen, but collapsed in the second half and lost the match. Soulé gave Roma the lead around the tenth minute with a left-footed strike, and Malen doubled it from the spot before the break. United then won a penalty in the second half. Vásquez saved the initial spot-kick, but the referee ordered a retake because Cristante had his knee on the line when he cleared the rebound. Bruno Fernandes stepped up again and scored, and Roma's concentration went with it. Balerdi's slip allowed the equaliser, and another error led to United's third goal. Roma had dominated the first half, with Soulé and Malen putting them 2-0 up. The second half turned on the disputed penalty. Roma appeared to tire after that, and a thin bench did not help. Gasperini's side had been pushed back, and the closing stages followed a familiar pattern for the club in recent weeks. The ratings were: Vásquez 6, Mancini 5.5, Balerdi 4.5, Hermoso 6, Cristante 6, De Roon 5.5, Wesley 5.5, Mora 6.5, Soulé 6.5, Malen 6 and Gasperini 5.5. Ghilardi, who came on for Mancini in the 74th minute, was rated 5.5, and N'Dicka, on for Hermoso in the 75th, was rated 5.5. Lulli, on for Rensch after 22 minutes, was rated 5.5. Rensch was not rated after playing barely twenty minutes. Pisilli, on from the 45th minute, was rated 5, while Castro, who came on for Malen in the 77th minute, was rated 5.5. Vásquez saved the first penalty but could do nothing about the retake. Mancini was booked for the penalty concession and was reportedly unhappy with the decision. Mora's pass for Soulé and his contribution to the penalty earned him the highest rating of the night, despite a couple of light touches. Balerdi was the most heavily criticised. His rating reflected a double-edged performance: some anticipations raised the pressure, but he steered well for long periods before the late errors. Cristante was praised for his control in the first half and was described as losing some sharpness after the break. The match report ends with the group stage in mind, though the source does not state a next fixture. Roma's bench and fatigue remain the central talking points.

Roma threw away a first-half lead and lost 3-2 to Manchester United at Old Trafford. Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen had given the Giallorossi the advantage early in the match, but the team fell apart after the restart and allowed the hosts to turn the game around. The defeat came in a disastrous second half for the visitors, who had been ahead from the opening minutes.

Bryan Cristante has admitted Roma must work out where they are going wrong after losing to Manchester United, a match in which the team let a lead slip in the second half. Speaking to SkySport at the final whistle, the midfielder said the defeat had come despite a strong start from Roma. Roma started well and produced a very strong first half that could have ended with more than a 2-0 lead. Cristante said the team had to do more after they had already experienced the same problem, adding that Manchester United are strong opponents who become hard to contain once they push forward and find their moment. The Roma midfielder also addressed the penalty awarded to United. He said he had not seen the incident again, but that from the pitch it looked very doubtful. Cristante added that the team must review the footage properly and understand where they are going wrong, as the problem is becoming too frequent. Asked whether Roma lack the ability to manage games, Cristante said: "It could be. We must certainly be more focused at the back, the whole team. We were 2-0 up, and sometimes you can drop back and keep the game under control, letting the others play, but without conceding goals. We must review it and understand where we went wrong." On the defeat in relation to the team's growth, he said: "We played a very good first half, against a strong side even though they are not at their best, and in a stadium like this. We must also take the good things, but we know this is one point and we have to improve. We will do it, we must understand where we are going wrong so as not to make these mistakes again." Asked whether United's pressure in the second half had surprised Roma, Cristante said: "Maybe we dropped back a little too, thinking we could hold the result. It is certainly a combination of factors. We struggled to keep the ball in the second half. We could not breathe with the ball in their half, and that allowed them to push up a lot. We must review it."