Roma look to settle old Old Trafford scores against Manchester United

Donyell Malen is set to lead Roma's attack against a battered Manchester United at Old Trafford, a ground where he has made only a brief appearance. Roma are looking to push towards the play-off places with a win tonight, and Malen is the player the Italian press has singled out to make the difference. Malen returns to English grounds after a disappointing spell at Aston Villa, where he played on the wing with fewer chances to show his considerable finishing potential. Il Corriere della Sera reports that he left the Premier League because he felt he was not understood. He wanted to play as a centre-forward, but at Villa he was deployed on the right wing. Birmingham is about an hour and a half from Manchester, and the story frames Malen as a player who can avenge Totti and Dzeko in this fixture, against the memories of the 7-1 and 6-2 defeats. Malen has also scored against Real Madrid, answering those who said he does not score in big matches. At Old Trafford he has a single appearance to his name, just six minutes in May 2025. Il Corriere della Sera adds that a win this evening would be a significant step for Roma, and that Malen has a further reason to prove that his value was misjudged in England and in general across the country.

Gian Piero Gasperini has warned his Roma side not to lower their guard against Manchester United tonight at Old Trafford, despite the Red Devils' poor results. The main threat is Matheus Cunha, the Brazilian forward who is United's principal attacking figure. Gasperini said: "Never trust him", as reported by La Gazzetta dello Sport. United are struggling, but the quality of their squad remains intact. Cunha has not shone as he did in the past, and like the rest of the team he has been below his best. In 13 matches so far this season he has scored only two goals, against Sabah in the Champions League and against Fulham in the Premier League. Gasperini has stressed that the threat should not be underestimated. The job of containing Cunha will fall mainly to Evan N'Dicka. The Ivorian defender must work well on anticipation and get his reading of the play right, but he must also avoid mistakes when stepping out early. Cunha has pace, and if he gets away from a defender he is hard to catch, especially in open space. Roma's two midfielders, De Roon and Cristante, will also be asked to create density in front of the central defender to stop Cunha from receiving playable balls. For N'Dicka, tonight's contest rises sharply in level. The challenge is demanding, and the Roma defence will need discipline and sharp timing to keep the United forward quiet.

Gasperini is preparing to take his Roma side to Old Trafford to reverse the history against Manchester United, and the Italian papers have largely agreed on a starting eleven. The coach appears set to field a solid defence with Mancini returning to the starting lineup, while the main doubt concerns the right flank, where the choice is between Lulli and Molina. Rensch could also come into contention for that spot, but he appears the least likely to start from the first minute. In midfield, the papers are split over who will support Soulé behind Malen: Pisilli, Cristante or Mora. Across the line-ups published by the Gazzetta dello Sport, Corriere dello Sport, Tuttosport, Il Messaggero, Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo, Roma are set to line up in a 3-4-2-1 formation with Gollini in goal, Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in defence, Wesley in the midfield and Soulé and Malen attacking. The papers' predicted line-ups differ in only a few places. The Gazzetta dello Sport and Il Messaggero pick Lulli at left-back, while the Corriere dello Sport and Tuttosport go with Molina. The Corriere della Sera and Il Tempo both name Rensch. Il Messaggero also includes de Roon and Pisilli in midfield, with Cristante pushed further forward alongside Soulé, while Tuttosport picks Mora in the number ten role instead of Pisilli.