Malen and Lautaro set for top-of-table clash as Roma showcase record attacking output under Gasperini

Roma routed Udinese with four goals in the first half, and Gasperini's side have now gone 17 matches unbeaten, a run built on 28 goals in their first 10 matches, a new club record that surpassed the 26 scored in 1960/61 and 2016/17. The win capped a stretch in which Roma have been almost unstoppable, while Udinese's coach Runjaic, whose position is increasingly under threat, saw his side heavily beaten. In the second half Roma eased off, conceded two goals, but closed the game out in stoppage time, leaving the match never really in doubt. The unbeaten run is the second club record the article highlights. Roma's last defeat was the 5-2 loss to Inter at San Siro on 5 April. Since then they have won 14 Serie A matches and drawn 3, collecting 45 points from a possible 51, an average of around 2.65 points per match in that period. The run has already secured qualification for the Champions League and opened the possibility of aiming even higher. It has surpassed the 15-match unbeaten sequence of Mazzone in 1994 and the 16 of Garcia in 2014-15. The next target is the 19-match mark set by Ranieri two seasons ago, matching the continuous run across two seasons between Liedholm and Eriksson in 1984 and the Andreazzoli-Garcia run in 2013. The podium places, at 24 under Capello in 2001-02, 25 under Ranieri in 2009-10 and 30 under Liedholm in 1980-81, look far harder to reach. The improvement over last season is clear. Gasperini has 24 points from this point compared with 21 a year ago, the best start of the Friedkin era. Goals have nearly tripled: by 31 October 2025 Roma had scored 13 across Serie A and the Europa League, while today they have 36. The task is also harder, as Roma have already faced Real Madrid in the Champions League, along with Napoli, Inter and Como in the league. Last year, the only top side they had faced by 31 October was Chivu's team.

Roma routed Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium, with Ghilardi adding his name to the list of scorers in the eighth match in twenty days, a sign of a side that spreads its goals across the squad. Gasperini's team, lining up in their usual 3-4-2-1, were far too strong for an Udinese side on a sixth consecutive defeat and struggling badly for both results and performance. The win also brings a small record: 28 goals in the first 10 rounds of Serie A, which shifts the focus onto Roma's attack, even though until two matches ago they had boasted the best defence in Europe. Runjaić set his Udinese side up in a 5-3-2, with Ekkelenkamp as the anchor man. Roma controlled the game from the start, with Cristante and De Roon dropping in turn to build alongside Ndicka, the two wing-backs pushing wide, and Wesley and Molina pushing into attack. The left-hand channel of Mora and Wesley, with Hermoso in support, was especially active, and Roma found space mainly out wide. Possession, however, did not initially produce many chances. Roma were slow to move the ball, allowing Udinese's physical approach to disrupt their build-up. Their problem was failing to recognise the need to speed up circulation, playing quick two-touch combinations to cut down the time Udinese had to press and avoiding the physical duels that slowed or muddied the game. Once Roma raised the tempo, they moved the ball from right to left and found Wesley, whose cross reached Cristante at the centre of the box to open the scoring. The first two goals, which settled the match, came from faster ball movement and two deadly runs by Cristante into the box: the first with him as the direct scorer, the second as the provider of an assist for Mora. With both sides lined up in mirror image, switches of play became less useful, making it essential to work well in the areas around the ball, move it quickly and keep avoiding physical duels. Wesley and Malen were still caught out by this, with Kabasele closing them down in a series of tight physical challenges. Roma kept up their pace after going two goals ahead, forced Udinese into errors and hit two posts through mistimed efforts by Soulé and Malen. Malen then made amends, escaping Kabasele to make it 3-0. Ndicka added the fourth with a header that was not especially convincing, at the stadium where he had previously endured a difficult time, with Okoye again looking uncertain, as he had on the first goal. It was 4-0 after 33 minutes of ruthless finishing from a big side against an Udinese team whose league position speaks for itself. Gollini, who has been flawless in Serie A so far, twice stopped sporadic counter-attacks by the hosts before half-time. The second half was important for managing energy ahead of the trip to Manchester. Gasperini made no changes at the restart, avoiding sending the message that the match was over and that it should not be played out in full. Roma continued to move the ball quickly while keeping possession and exploiting the space available. From a corner won by Udinese, the same pattern as in the first half saw Miller given room to shoot from distance after De Roon had moved away to pick up a pointless run inside the box; Ndicka and his team were slow to react to the short rebound from Gollini, and Udinese pulled one back to 1-4. After an hour Chakvetadze and Unay Gómez came on for Davis and Ekkelenkamp. Runjaić stayed with a 3-5-2, to which Gasperini responded by bringing on Pisilli as anchor man in place of Mora and Castro for Malen. Late on came a series of changes: Piotrowski replaced Zaniolo, Mancini and Rensch came on for Wesley and Soulé, with Ghilardi pushing up as fifth man on the right and Molina high ahead of him. In the final minutes a late lapse by Roma from an Udinese corner allowed Palma to reduce the deficit further. Jovanovic and Arizala came on for Karlström and Kamara, giving Runjaić a breather as he watched his side respond, and Koulierakis replaced Hermoso. Ghilardi had the last word, collecting a delightful, soft assist from Castro to fire home his first Serie A goal, the same technical touch with which he had already made his mark in the Champions League.

Roma routed Udinese, and Bryan Cristante was unanimously voted the best player on the pitch by the Italian newspapers after a dominant display under Gian Piero Gasperini. Udinese head coach Runjaic is under growing pressure, with his position on the bench increasingly at risk. Roma's players were almost all praised, with Molina rated among the least impressive of the Giallorossi while the marks for the rest of the team were very high. Cristante was singled out alongside Rodrigo Mora, Ghilardi and N'Dicka as the standout performers. The result was a clear and emphatic win, with Roma taking apart Udinese. The newspapers' ratings showed a broadly positive verdict on the team's performance, with several players reinforcing their claims for regular places in the side. The ratings from the main Italian dailies were as follows. Corriere dello Sport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7.5, N'Dicka 7.5, Hermoso 7 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7.5 (Pisilli 6.5); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Il Messaggero: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. Corriere della Sera: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. La Repubblica: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 6.5, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6.5, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Tuttosport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.

Cristante has been named the best Roma player by Italian newspapers, rated 7.79, with the Corriere dello Sport calling his performance "sontuoso ben oltre il gol e l'assist" (superb well beyond the goal and assist). Behind him, Soulé (7.29) was praised for being consistently creative and dangerous, while Malen (7.21) and Ghilardi (7.07) also earned high marks, with Ghilardi celebrating his first Serie A goal. Ndicka and Mora both received 7.00. In an evening without any genuine failures, the lowest ratings went to Gollini and Pisilli (6.07), followed by Molina and Castro (6.21). Referee Maresca received an overall positive verdict, rated 6.00, helped by a match that Roma steered early. Gazzetta, Corriere dello Sport and Messaggero all praised him, while Il Romanista, giving him 5.5, was the only outlet to criticise his performance. The most debated moment came late in the match, when Kabasele and Castro made contact. Gazzetta and Corriere dello Sport judged the touch too light to award a penalty. Il Romanista disagreed, calling the contact "abbastanza chiaro" (fairly clear) and criticising the decision to let play continue. The ratings reflect a broadly positive picture for Roma, with the press singling out midfield and attacking contributions alongside the defensive display of Ghilardi and Ndicka. The debate over the late Kabasele-Castro incident has become the main point of discussion for the referee's performance, with the newspapers split on whether a spot-kick should have been given. The piece is a rolling round-up of short Roma news items, notes and reports published on Sunday 1 November 2026 under the Giallorossi.net flash banner.

Roma routed Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium, with Ghilardi adding his name to the list of scorers in the eighth match in twenty days, a sign of a side that spreads its goals across the squad. Gasperini's team, lining up in their usual 3-4-2-1, were far too strong for an Udinese side on a sixth consecutive defeat and struggling badly for both results and performance. The win also brings a small record: 28 goals in the first 10 rounds of Serie A, which shifts the focus onto Roma's attack, even though until two matches ago they had boasted the best defence in Europe. Runjaić set his Udinese side up in a 5-3-2, with Ekkelenkamp as the anchor man. Roma controlled the game from the start, with Cristante and De Roon dropping in turn to build alongside Ndicka, the two wing-backs pushing wide, and Wesley and Molina pushing into attack. The left-hand channel of Mora and Wesley, with Hermoso in support, was especially active, and Roma found space mainly out wide. Possession, however, did not initially produce many chances. Roma were slow to move the ball, allowing Udinese's physical approach to disrupt their build-up. Their problem was failing to recognise the need to speed up circulation, playing quick two-touch combinations to cut down the time Udinese had to press and avoiding the physical duels that slowed or muddied the game. Once Roma raised the tempo, they moved the ball from right to left and found Wesley, whose cross reached Cristante at the centre of the box to open the scoring. The first two goals, which settled the match, came from faster ball movement and two deadly runs by Cristante into the box: the first with him as the direct scorer, the second as the provider of an assist for Mora. With both sides lined up in mirror image, switches of play became less useful, making it essential to work well in the areas around the ball, move it quickly and keep avoiding physical duels. Wesley and Malen were still caught out by this, with Kabasele closing them down in a series of tight physical challenges. Roma kept up their pace after going two goals ahead, forced Udinese into errors and hit two posts through mistimed efforts by Soulé and Malen. Malen then made amends, escaping Kabasele to make it 3-0. Ndicka added the fourth with a header that was not especially convincing, at the stadium where he had previously endured a difficult time, with Okoye again looking uncertain, as he had on the first goal. It was 4-0 after 33 minutes of ruthless finishing from a big side against an Udinese team whose league position speaks for itself. Gollini, who has been flawless in Serie A so far, twice stopped sporadic counter-attacks by the hosts before half-time. The second half was important for managing energy ahead of the trip to Manchester. Gasperini made no changes at the restart, avoiding sending the message that the match was over and that it should not be played out in full. Roma continued to move the ball quickly while keeping possession and exploiting the space available. From a corner won by Udinese, the same pattern as in the first half saw Miller given room to shoot from distance after De Roon had moved away to pick up a pointless run inside the box; Ndicka and his team were slow to react to the short rebound from Gollini, and Udinese pulled one back to 1-4. After an hour Chakvetadze and Unay Gómez came on for Davis and Ekkelenkamp. Runjaić stayed with a 3-5-2, to which Gasperini responded by bringing on Pisilli as anchor man in place of Mora and Castro for Malen. Late on came a series of changes: Piotrowski replaced Zaniolo, Mancini and Rensch came on for Wesley and Soulé, with Ghilardi pushing up as fifth man on the right and Molina high ahead of him. In the final minutes a late lapse by Roma from an Udinese corner allowed Palma to reduce the deficit further. Jovanovic and Arizala came on for Karlström and Kamara, giving Runjaić a breather as he watched his side respond, and Koulierakis replaced Hermoso. Ghilardi had the last word, collecting a delightful, soft assist from Castro to fire home his first Serie A goal, the same technical touch with which he had already made his mark in the Champions League.

Roma routed Udinese, and Bryan Cristante was unanimously voted the best player on the pitch by the Italian newspapers after a dominant display under Gian Piero Gasperini. Udinese head coach Runjaic is under growing pressure, with his position on the bench increasingly at risk. Roma's players were almost all praised, with Molina rated among the least impressive of the Giallorossi while the marks for the rest of the team were very high. Cristante was singled out alongside Rodrigo Mora, Ghilardi and N'Dicka as the standout performers. The result was a clear and emphatic win, with Roma taking apart Udinese. The newspapers' ratings showed a broadly positive verdict on the team's performance, with several players reinforcing their claims for regular places in the side. The ratings from the main Italian dailies were as follows. Corriere dello Sport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7.5, N'Dicka 7.5, Hermoso 7 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7.5 (Pisilli 6.5); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Il Messaggero: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. Corriere della Sera: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. La Repubblica: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 6.5, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6.5, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Tuttosport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.

Roma routed Udinese, and Bryan Cristante was unanimously voted the best player on the pitch by the Italian newspapers after a dominant display under Gian Piero Gasperini. Udinese head coach Runjaic is under growing pressure, with his position on the bench increasingly at risk. Roma's players were almost all praised, with Molina rated among the least impressive of the Giallorossi while the marks for the rest of the team were very high. Cristante was singled out alongside Rodrigo Mora, Ghilardi and N'Dicka as the standout performers. The result was a clear and emphatic win, with Roma taking apart Udinese. The newspapers' ratings showed a broadly positive verdict on the team's performance, with several players reinforcing their claims for regular places in the side. The ratings from the main Italian dailies were as follows. Corriere dello Sport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7.5, N'Dicka 7.5, Hermoso 7 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7.5 (Pisilli 6.5); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Il Messaggero: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. Corriere della Sera: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. La Repubblica: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 6.5, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6.5, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Tuttosport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.

Roma defender Daniele Ghilardi has scored his first goal, a strike that ended a match at Udinese, and has already drawn interest from AC Milan and Juventus. Roma have now scored 28 goals in ten matches this season and 36 in total including the three in the Champions League, with 14 different scorers so far. Ghilardi's goal came at the end of the match, when he was cramping in his calves. He said: "Sono molto contento. Ho calciato con tutta la forza che avevo. Era fine partita, avevo i crampi ai polpacci. Ero morto, stavo facendo stretching e non mi hanno visto". The goal follows earlier strikes from Emanuele Lulli, who scored against Genoa and Cagliari, and the article notes that Ghilardi is another young player to find the net. Milan and Juventus have already targeted him, but the focus at the club is not on his future. Ghilardi also teased his team-mate about his celebration. He said: "Ho esultato meglio di Emanuele ma perché lui non era abituato, io ne ho fatti due in B e uno in C. Ci sono volute più di due stagioni per farlo in A". Evan N'Dicka closed out a strong display in Udine, leaving no space for Davis and finishing with a 100% record in duels won, four recoveries and four clearances. Bryan Cristante was named man of the match after scoring his third goal against Udinese. Roma now turn their attention to Manchester United. The squad trained at Udinese's sports centre this morning and travel to England this afternoon. There are no fitness setbacks, but Mile Svilar, Paulo Dybala and Manu Koné will not be available.

Roma have scored 28 goals in their first ten matches of the 2026-27 season, a club record, after a 5-3 win at Udinese. The tally surpasses the previous record of 26 goals, set in 1960/61 and 2016/17, and the goals have come from a wide spread of players rather than relying on Donyell Malen, although he is leading the side. Under Gian Piero Gasperini, Roma have become a side that is always dangerous and always able to finish, with many matches won by at least four goals across Serie A and the Champions League. Roma have scored with 14 different players so far: Malen, Niccolò Pisilli, Manu Koné, Matías Soulé, Mario Hermoso, Emanuele Lulli, Rodrigo Mora, Bryan Cristante, Marten de Roon, Santiago Castro, Nahuel Molina and Leonardo Balerdi. Evan N'Dicka and Daniele Ghilardi also scored against Udinese and join that list. The results are reflected in the table: 24 points from ten matches, the club's best start since 2013. Last season Roma had 21 points at this stage, and two seasons ago they had just 13. To find similar numbers, you have to go back to 2022, when Mourinho reached 22 points. The Udinese victory was not simply a big win but proof of a team that scores with a consistency never seen before at the club. The 28 goals in the opening ten rounds represent a milestone the club had never reached, and the tally was built across Serie A and the Champions League alike.

Roma routed Udinese at the Bluenergy Stadium, with Ghilardi adding his name to the list of scorers in the eighth match in twenty days, a sign of a side that spreads its goals across the squad. Gasperini's team, lining up in their usual 3-4-2-1, were far too strong for an Udinese side on a sixth consecutive defeat and struggling badly for both results and performance. The win also brings a small record: 28 goals in the first 10 rounds of Serie A, which shifts the focus onto Roma's attack, even though until two matches ago they had boasted the best defence in Europe. Runjaić set his Udinese side up in a 5-3-2, with Ekkelenkamp as the anchor man. Roma controlled the game from the start, with Cristante and De Roon dropping in turn to build alongside Ndicka, the two wing-backs pushing wide, and Wesley and Molina pushing into attack. The left-hand channel of Mora and Wesley, with Hermoso in support, was especially active, and Roma found space mainly out wide. Possession, however, did not initially produce many chances. Roma were slow to move the ball, allowing Udinese's physical approach to disrupt their build-up. Their problem was failing to recognise the need to speed up circulation, playing quick two-touch combinations to cut down the time Udinese had to press and avoiding the physical duels that slowed or muddied the game. Once Roma raised the tempo, they moved the ball from right to left and found Wesley, whose cross reached Cristante at the centre of the box to open the scoring. The first two goals, which settled the match, came from faster ball movement and two deadly runs by Cristante into the box: the first with him as the direct scorer, the second as the provider of an assist for Mora. With both sides lined up in mirror image, switches of play became less useful, making it essential to work well in the areas around the ball, move it quickly and keep avoiding physical duels. Wesley and Malen were still caught out by this, with Kabasele closing them down in a series of tight physical challenges. Roma kept up their pace after going two goals ahead, forced Udinese into errors and hit two posts through mistimed efforts by Soulé and Malen. Malen then made amends, escaping Kabasele to make it 3-0. Ndicka added the fourth with a header that was not especially convincing, at the stadium where he had previously endured a difficult time, with Okoye again looking uncertain, as he had on the first goal. It was 4-0 after 33 minutes of ruthless finishing from a big side against an Udinese team whose league position speaks for itself. Gollini, who has been flawless in Serie A so far, twice stopped sporadic counter-attacks by the hosts before half-time. The second half was important for managing energy ahead of the trip to Manchester. Gasperini made no changes at the restart, avoiding sending the message that the match was over and that it should not be played out in full. Roma continued to move the ball quickly while keeping possession and exploiting the space available. From a corner won by Udinese, the same pattern as in the first half saw Miller given room to shoot from distance after De Roon had moved away to pick up a pointless run inside the box; Ndicka and his team were slow to react to the short rebound from Gollini, and Udinese pulled one back to 1-4. After an hour Chakvetadze and Unay Gómez came on for Davis and Ekkelenkamp. Runjaić stayed with a 3-5-2, to which Gasperini responded by bringing on Pisilli as anchor man in place of Mora and Castro for Malen. Late on came a series of changes: Piotrowski replaced Zaniolo, Mancini and Rensch came on for Wesley and Soulé, with Ghilardi pushing up as fifth man on the right and Molina high ahead of him. In the final minutes a late lapse by Roma from an Udinese corner allowed Palma to reduce the deficit further. Jovanovic and Arizala came on for Karlström and Kamara, giving Runjaić a breather as he watched his side respond, and Koulierakis replaced Hermoso. Ghilardi had the last word, collecting a delightful, soft assist from Castro to fire home his first Serie A goal, the same technical touch with which he had already made his mark in the Champions League.

Roma routed Udinese, and Bryan Cristante was unanimously voted the best player on the pitch by the Italian newspapers after a dominant display under Gian Piero Gasperini. Udinese head coach Runjaic is under growing pressure, with his position on the bench increasingly at risk. Roma's players were almost all praised, with Molina rated among the least impressive of the Giallorossi while the marks for the rest of the team were very high. Cristante was singled out alongside Rodrigo Mora, Ghilardi and N'Dicka as the standout performers. The result was a clear and emphatic win, with Roma taking apart Udinese. The newspapers' ratings showed a broadly positive verdict on the team's performance, with several players reinforcing their claims for regular places in the side. The ratings from the main Italian dailies were as follows. Corriere dello Sport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7.5, N'Dicka 7.5, Hermoso 7 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7.5 (Pisilli 6.5); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Il Messaggero: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. Corriere della Sera: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 8, De Roon 7, Wesley 6.5 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7 (Castro 6). All: Gasperini 7.5. La Repubblica: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 6.5, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6.5, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 6 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7.5 (Mancini sv), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.5. Tuttosport: Gollini 6; Ghilardi 7, N'Dicka 7, Hermoso 6.5 (Koulierakis sv); Molina 6, Cristante 7.5, De Roon 6.5, Wesley 7 (Rensch sv); Soulé 7 (Mancini 6), Mora 7 (Pisilli 6); Malen 7.5 (Castro 6.5). All: Gasperini 7.

Roma turned Halloween night into a show of force, beating Udinese 5-2 and extending their lead at the top of the table, with five different goalscorers ahead of the Champions League trip to Manchester. The match was effectively decided in the first ten minutes. Bryan Cristante headed Roma in front from Wesley's fine cross, with Udinese goalkeeper Okoye far from faultless, and the hosts' resistance collapsed from there. In the first half Roma created chances with ease and hit the woodwork twice, through Soulé and Malen, before a burst of goals settled the contest. Mora, Malen and Ndicka all scored, giving Roma four goals in the first 37 minutes. Mora, who scored in the first half, confirmed he can be decisive even when starting from the first minute, Malen kept scoring with striking regularity, and Soulé produced tricks and assists. Cristante was outstanding, scoring, providing the assist for Mora and making constant runs, and was probably the best player on the pitch. Only days earlier he had looked among the players struggling with the demands of a punishing schedule. Marten de Roon provided balance and composure in midfield, and both men passed a test many had feared they would fail against a physical Udinese side. The only blemish came after the break, when Roma conceded too easily in the opening minutes of the second half, allowing Zaniolo to reduce the deficit. Palma later made it 4-2, but Udinese never looked capable of completing a comeback. Gasperini began managing his players and his energy, understandably, with a Champions League match at Old Trafford to come. Ghilardi was rewarded for another convincing performance by scoring the decisive 5-2 with a powerful right-foot strike, set up by a pass from Santiago Castro. Five goals from five different scorers was, in the writer's view, the most encouraging statistic of the evening. Roma have now scored 28 goals in ten league matches. Gasperini was credited with the team's mentality as much as its football. The writer argued the side increasingly reflects his ideas, with Mora, Ghilardi, Balerdi and Cristante all stepping up in turn while the coach keeps rotating his players. When Gasperini said after the match that he sees himself in this team, it was described as one of the most significant remarks of the season. The article also highlighted one area for improvement: the gap between Malen and Castro in attack. Malen gives depth, constantly attacks goal and turns harmless balls into chances, while Castro, despite a fine assist for Ghilardi's goal, looks less influential. The writer hopes Gasperini can also get the best out of Castro, so that Roma can lose Malen without losing much of their threat. The next major test is Manchester, against an opponent that will not offer the same freedoms Udinese did. Roma face that Champions League fixture at Old Trafford next, on Tuesday.