Gasperini to speak live tonight on Sky Sport

Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini has left uncertainty over the return of goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini, who has a back problem, ahead of Saturday's match against Sassuolo. Asked about his return, Gasperini replied: "Non lo so, vediamo" ("I don't know, we'll see"). The injury that kept Gollini out of the game against Manchester United could also affect the next fixture. Yesterday Devis Vásquez took his place in goal, making his first appearance in the Roma shirt. His performance is hard to judge. He made no serious mistakes, and his only fault came on Cunha's goal that made it 3-2. He also saved Fernandes's penalty, but the referee denied him the chance to enter Roma's history books. Vásquez could now be asked to play again on Saturday, with Gollini still uncertain and Mile Svilar also in the picture. The game against Sassuolo is on Saturday. Gasperini's cautious comments leave the starting goalkeeper choice open, and Vásquez's debut performance means he is in line for another start if Gollini is not fit.

Rodrigo Mora has praised team-mate Wesley, saying the Brazilian full-back will reach the very top of the game, after Roma's defeat to Manchester United. Roma had led by two goals and dominated the first half, but let the advantage slip and were overrun in the second half, when their physical condition appeared to drop sharply. Coach Gian Piero Gasperini will have plenty to work on, from the mental management of matches to the team's fitness. Mora was one of Roma's best players before leaving the pitch at the start of the second half. The Portuguese winger lit up the evening with an assist and made an important contribution to the attacking build-up. His performance, however, stood out as the one positive from a match in which Roma again failed to win after a comeback. Roma had been left with the strong sense of being superior to United for much of the opening 45 minutes, finding the net twice and producing quality football. After the final whistle, Mora was interviewed by TNT Sports and asked about Wesley. Asked whether he and Wesley often talk, given the language factor, and what he thought of his team-mate as a player, Mora said: "Yes, I think today Wesley played another great match. He is a great player and he will reach the highest levels of football. We talk mostly about Brazil and Brazilian football, which we both follow. The language, of course, helps us a lot. He has given me a big hand in settling in at Roma, and I am really grateful to him for that."

Manchester United manager Michael Carrick spoke after his side beat Roma at Old Trafford in the fourth matchday of the Champions League League Phase, praising the Giallorossi as a very good team and admitting the match was always going to be hard. Carrick said: "La Roma è un'ottima squadra" in reference to their performance. The win is a significant result for Manchester United, and the manager said some players had heard chants at Old Trafford they had not heard before. Carrick said the result could help his side going forward. "Sicuramente è un risultato importante, alcuni giocatori hanno sentito cose che non avevano ancora sentito a Old Trafford. Anche per i nuovi era importante sentire i tifosi. A volte non si sa come si possa uscire da una situazione, ma ora calmiamoci e vediamo per la prossima partita." Roma played man-marking across the pitch, and Carrick acknowledged his side conceded too much before gradually pushing towards their goal. On the match itself, Carrick said: "Non eravamo in una bella situazione. La Roma è un'ottima squadra, marcavano a uomo a tutto campo ed era ovvio che sarebbe stato difficile. Abbiamo concesso troppo, ma piano piano ci siamo avvicinati alla loro porta. Sapevamo che potevano fermarci, ma dobbiamo continuare a credere nei momenti, senza essere frustrati." He added that Bruno Fernandes had a penalty saved and that Baleba went off. He praised Tielemans, who came on well, and said his side wanted to win for the fans. On the young players, Carrick said of Lacey: "Lacey ha un grande futuro, è uno che vede le cose, è molto creativo." He added that he was pleased to see him defend at right-back. Carrick said Cunha could score goals like the two he has scored, having moved to a more central role alongside Mbeumo, and he expressed regret at how Cunha was sent off. Carrick addressed the fans' banner, saying: "Capisco la frustrazione dei tifosi, so che anche il secondo tempo col Chelsea in 10 li aveva colpiti, ma dobbiamo dare qualcosa in cambio a loro." At half-time he urged his players to be more positive, saying: "Basta un momento per la svolta, gliel'ho detto. E abbiamo avuto più di un momento." On Fernandes's missed penalty, he said he was calm and that Fernandes showed mental strength in taking it again. On Baleba's injury, Carrick said he had no update on Carlos Cunha's hamstring problem, adding: "non sembra buono, non so quando tornerà." Asked whether he would sleep better, Carrick said: "Non sono sollevato, sono contento per i giocatori che danno il massimo."

Italian radio pundits were scathing the morning after Roma lost to Manchester United in the Champions League, with the second half at the centre of the debate. Roma led 2-1 at one stage, and Roberto Pruzzo said the collapse came after the team had been strong. Gianluca Piacentini of Rete Sport said the performance resembled Roma's displays against Real Madrid and Inter: "This is a team with dramatic highs where if the opponent is Udinese or Lecce you hit them for four and then manage, if it's Inter you hit them twice and then draw, but if you play Real or Manchester United at home in the end you lose." He added: "Until January we have to take the good and the bad of this team." The analysis from Rete Sport's Checco Oddo Casano focused on squad depth. He said: "If you'd had another Konè, which you don't have now, and a fast attacker like Gervinho, which you still don't have, you would have rebalanced the match with the substitutions." He added that conceding goals at 2-0 has "now become a trend", linking it to the squad's overall value and shortcomings more than to the coach and players' attitude. Fabio Petruzzi said the first half had been stellar, with Roma conceding nothing, but that the second half changed everything. He said Gasperini "will have to understand the reasons", and that Roma lack "the second weapon" needed to press when they are ahead. Mario Corsi of Tele Radio Stereo was blunt: "Manchester United have won only one league match, in August. After that they have never won again." He said Roma had "not shot once" and had won no corners in the second half. Corsi criticised Balerdi for losing concentration, saying he was the reason Roma conceded two goals, and said young players "can't play in certain fields yet". Francesca Ferrazza said Roma should not be in the competition at all: "You have to leave this Cup, you shouldn't even go to the playoff, it's not your thing." She argued the Champions League drained energy needed for the league, adding: "Roma are an inexperienced side who crumble at the first difficulty." Lorenzo Pes said: "The Roma tempo never slows down, and 8 times out of 10 that works, but when you reach the big matches you never achieve success." Piero Torri said the squad was short, with four players missing, and questioned the substitutions. He said he would have brought on Molina over Lulli, and felt the timing of Mora's change was wrong. Torri also raised a refereeing complaint, saying the referee had invented the penalty and then ordered it retaken: "Is the VAR in some pub in Manchester?" Nando Orsi raised the issue of physical condition, noting Roma's Sunday and Wednesday fixtures, and said Gasperini deserved some criticism. Mario Mattioli said he had expected a heavy win, but the second half "started badly". He said De Roon was left alone at one point, Pisilli was not where he should be, and Maguire led the United comeback. Mattioli said the problem was mainly mental, and that the coach had not prepared his side for United's assault.

Radio pundits in Rome have been dissecting Roma's defeat to Manchester United, with the recurring criticism centred on the team's collapse after half-time. Several commentators argued that Roma led 2-0 and then let the lead slip, and that the problem is structural rather than a matter of one refereeing decision. Radio Radio's Ferrajolo said the key issue was not the penalty episodes but the pattern: "Roma were a great team in the first half and an unwatchable one in the second. Every time they go ahead they get pegged back. It is normal that you are winning 2-0 and you bring on a midfielder. The side was beautiful in the first half and unwatchable in the second. Since it is not the first time this has happened, we need to understand the problem." He also questioned the referee's handling of the penalty, saying the official was "too precise" when he ordered the spot-kick retaken, and criticised Maguire, whom he described as behaving like a wrestler. Verdenelli of Radio Bruno said the team struggles in big matches but that analysing the game fully was impossible because the referee had "literally distorted" the match with the penalty and a red card that was not shown. Luca Ferri of Radio Bruno said he was not angry about the result and was more concerned with the reasons behind the "blackouts" in the opening 20 minutes of every second half, adding: "There is a lot of work to do, but I am confident about the rest of the league campaign." Torri, speaking to Radio Manà Manà Sport, said the referee had weighed heavily on the result, but argued that Roma had perhaps chosen a low profile given their situation with UEFA. "Can you imagine Mourinho last night? He would have exploded. Roma have a short squad and often the substitutions do not maintain the level of quality. When you play games of this level, which wear you down mentally more than physically, you need the right changes. The absence of Koné and Svilar is devastating." Matera said Roma lost their shape after going 2-0 up by bringing on an extra midfielder, adding: "Roma are not capable of managing it, and Pisilli was running around aimlessly. I don't think it was a physical problem, Roma collapsed mentally." He also said Balerdi had played a great game before making an error that showed something was wrong. Carina of Radio Radio Mattino said: "This Roma in the Champions League is not enough. In Serie A they are overwhelming and can even do without three key players like Svilar, Koné and Dybala. In Europe, unfortunately, it lasts an hour. In these games you cannot concede anything, even against a Manchester side in great difficulty. Roma's flaw was closing the first half with only a two-goal lead." Pruzzo said: "I don't know how United managed to get back into the game. The penalty decision conditioned the course of the match. At 2-1 the difference between a great team and one that still has to grow to compete at the highest level emerged. In Italy you cannot beat teams of your own level, while in Europe you lose to superior ones. The substitutions brought nothing. Indeed, they made the situation worse." Orsi said: "Perhaps it is a question of physical stamina. In Italy the dips are not seen, abroad they hurt you. Gasperini should face some criticism: against Real Madrid three goals from corners, not to mention yesterday and Inter. He is not untouchable, he too makes mistakes." The commentators disagreed on the penalty and the referee, with Agresti saying the spot-kick could have been withheld while agreeing with the retake, and Camelio arguing that Manchester United had been dead before the second goal. Camelio said Lulli was not ready and that Molina, who has more experience, should have been used, while disagreeing that fatigue was the cause because Roma had run. Agresti warned that letting Manchester United back into the game changed everything, saying the match turned around once they returned.

Roma threw away a two-goal lead at Manchester United in the Champions League, losing 3-2 after a dominant first half in which Soulé and Malen (from the penalty spot) had put them ahead. The collapse follows a similar late unravelling against Real Madrid, and this time the defeat is even more painful. Roma controlled the first half, rattling a United side that looked unrecognisable, before disappearing from the pitch after the break with no reaction and no ability to ease the English pressure. The responsibility, the article argues, must be shared, and head coach Gasperini must accept his part. Taking off Rodrigo Mora at half-time, after the Portuguese had lit up Roma's attacking play, was hard to understand. Pisilli's introduction was meant to bring more substance and dynamism but removed quality and unpredictability, and from that point Roma barely threatened. Replacing the injured Rensch with Lulli, rather than the more experienced Molina, also raised doubts; the young winger suffered badly under the weight of the match and United's pressure. Both choices failed and Gasperini will have to reflect on them. The squad is also showing strain. The absences of Manu Koné and Paulo Dybala were felt, especially when the team needed fresh legs and quality to escape difficult moments. Roma still lack a quick attacking winger who can beat a man and turn a move, something the club sought without success during the summer transfer window. Balerdi, probably the best player on the pitch until then, made a costly error, missing the ball on the cross that allowed Cunha to equalise. A few minutes later it was 3-2. The decisive moment was the penalty awarded to United for a very light contact between Mancini and Cunha, which looked utterly incomprehensible. The retake, after Vásquez had saved the first attempt, was justified because Cristante's foot was already inside the box, but the initial decision that revived a struggling United side remains a source of enormous doubt. Bruno Fernandes's goal reignited United and Old Trafford. The real problem, the article says, was what happened in the minds and legs of the Roma players: as the pace rose and United pressed harder, Roma were gripped by fear of losing a victory already within reach and could not respond. Gasperini acknowledged after the game that this defeat could teach Roma even more than the loss to Real Madrid, and the article agrees, while insisting the problem must be faced rather than hidden behind the refereeing call or the absences. The result leaves Roma's hopes of reaching the Champions League play-off round harder to secure. The club now face Sassuolo on Saturday evening at the Olimpico, a final push before the international break. The article says Roma must recover injured players, energy and composure, and collect three points, while the championship remains the season's main target. Roma have repeatedly shown they can bounce back from disappointment, and the article concludes that the real frustration is seeing how strong this team can be, and how little it still takes for them to stop being so.

Roma were beaten 3-2 at Old Trafford after dominating the first half, with Manchester United winning the game after a controversial refereeing decision and a defensive error by Reportedly Balerdi. Roma's first-half display was built on an aggressive 3-4-2-1 press that left United's 4-2-3-1 struggling to cope. The visitors took control with a Soulé goal, assisted by a delicious pass from Mora, and then a penalty converted by Malen after Soulé was fouled. Roma came close to extending their lead in the first half: Soulé came close to scoring, and Malen wasted several chances through poor first touches, while Roma's pressing forced repeated turnovers. Rensch went off injured in the first half and was replaced by Lulli, a role unusual for him. Gasperini made changes at the break, bringing on Pisilli for Mora to seek more balance, and Tielemans replaced Baleba. Roma's control faded late in the match. Several loose passes and too many backpasses from Roma gave United a foothold, and Maguire and De Roon created the danger from corners. Referee Gil Manzano judged a foul by Cunha in the area, awarded a penalty and ordered it retaken, which changed the game. Roma's keeper Vásquez was denied the chance to be the hero, as the penalty was retaken and Vásquez was unable to stop it. Rensch's withdrawal and the switch to a back three of Ghilardi, N'Dicka and Castro for Hermoso, Mancini and Malen came after Roma's defeat to Napoli, Gasperini's team had already faced Real Madrid in a heavy defeat, and the match was another negative result for the club in a big game against a top-level opponent. The article notes that Gasperini remained calm after the match, saying he was learning from the errors without making a drama of it. Roma must now avoid any hangover in Serie A, where the club's ambitions appear more justified.

Referee Jesús Gil Manzano has been heavily criticised by Italy's main sports dailies for his handling of Roma's 3-2 defeat to Manchester United, with the penalty awarded to the English side and the non-sending-off of Harry Maguire the most contested decisions. La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport both gave the Spanish referee a 4 out of 10, while Il Romanista went as low as 3. The decisive moment came in the 55th minute, when Cunha went down in the box after very light contact from Mancini. Gil Manzano pointed to the spot as Roma protested. La Gazzetta called the penalty very generous, while Corriere dello Sport described it as a "rigorino" (a soft penalty). Il Romanista was even harsher, arguing that the United forward exaggerated his fall considerably. Vasquez initially saved Bruno Fernandes's effort, but the penalty was ordered retaken because Cristante had entered the area early and intervened on the rebound. That decision was correct under the rules. Fernandes scored at the second attempt, reopening the match and sparking the English comeback. The criticism of the officiating does not end there. In the closing stages Harry Maguire was booked for a slap on Castro, but shortly afterwards he committed another foul on the Argentine forward which, according to the three newspapers' slow-motion reviews, should have earned a second yellow card. Gil Manzano let play continue, sparing the English defender a dismissal. La Gazzetta also flagged a possible penalty for United for a late challenge by Wesley in the second half. There was no doubt, however, about the first-half penalty awarded to Roma for a handball by Heaven on Soulé's shot. The referee's performance weighed heavily on the match, although it does not erase Roma's responsibility for their collapse in the second half. The penalty gave confidence to a United side in serious difficulty, while Gasperini's team were unable to regain control of the game.

Roma lost 3-2 at Old Trafford in Manchester, having led by two goals before being pegged back, a result that makes qualification for the Champions League knockout phase harder. Italian newspapers were unanimous in praising the first half as very high level, but the second half was markedly less bright, and a much-disputed penalty awarded to the hosts added to Roma's frustration. The papers' player ratings were widely critical of Balerdi, who received a 4.5 from La Gazzetta dello Sport, a 4 from Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica, and a 5 from Il Messaggero. Soulé was the standout performer, rated 7.5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica, and 7 by Il Messaggero and Corriere della Sera. Mora also earned strong marks, with a 7 from Corriere dello Sport and La Repubblica. Pisilli was judged harshly, rated 5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport, 4.5 by Corriere dello Sport, La Repubblica and Corriere della Sera, and 5 by Il Messaggero and Il Tempo. Gasperini was given a 5.5 by La Gazzetta dello Sport and La Repubblica, a 5 by Corriere dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and a 6 by Il Messaggero and Il Tempo. Vásquez received 5.5 from Il Messaggero and 6 from La Repubblica, Il Tempo and Romanews.eu. Cristante earned 6.5 from La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere della Sera, and Wesley was rated 6.5 by Corriere dello Sport and Il Tempo. Malen was rated 7 by La Repubblica, with Castro's late cameo marked between 5 and 6 across the papers.