Roma thrash Udinese 5-2 on Halloween night as Gasperini's side hit five different scorers

Bryan Cristante has said Roma are genuine contenders this season and can go all the way, after a convincing away win at Udinese. Speaking in the post-match interview, the midfielder said the club know they are at the top and must keep winning to stay in touch with the leaders. Asked whether Roma can challenge for the title, he replied: "Ci proviamo, è chiaro" — "We're trying, that's clear. But if we play like this, there are chances to go all the way." Cristante is a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's side, and his performance at Udinese was outstanding. Despite ongoing physical discomfort that he deals with daily, and the extended absence of key players such as Koné, he delivered consistent, high-level displays, combining quantity with ten duels won, plus balls recovered and decisive plays in both attack and defence. He also scored a goal and provided an assist. His work in midfield, alongside Marten de Roon and the growing contribution of the young players, underlines the strength of Roma's central zone. Roma's form in front of goal is a major reason for their start. According to Corriere dello Sport, the club have scored 28 goals in their first 10 league matches, a figure not recorded at this stage since the 1960/61 and 2016/17 seasons. Cristante said: "Stiamo segnando tanto e creando tanto. Quando hai questa forza offensiva, vincere è più facile" — "We're scoring a lot and creating a lot. When you have this attacking strength, winning is easier." The team now travel directly to England to prepare for their Champions League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Cristante added: "È sempre il Manchester United, anche se è in crisi. Parliamo di una squadra forte, che ha tantissimi giocatori di qualità e in casa loro è dura per tutti" — "It's always Manchester United, even if they are in crisis. We're talking about a strong team with plenty of quality players, and at home it's tough for everyone."

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.

Daniele Ghilardi enjoyed his first Serie A goal in Roma's 4-0 win at Udinese, a result that brought smiles, records and new confidence to Gian Piero Gasperini's side. Ghilardi had earlier seen a goal ruled out for offside against Slovan Bratislava. Speaking after the match with a laugh, he said: "It's my first in A, I struck it with all the strength I had. It was the end of the game, I had cramps in my calves. I was dead, I was stretching and they didn't see me." He also teased team-mate Emanuele Lulli about goal celebrations: "I celebrated better than Emanuele because he wasn't used to it. I scored two in B and one in C. It took more than two seasons to do it in Serie A." The defender, who has moved past his early difficulties, now feels fully integrated into Gasperini's systems and into the central role he has in the team's play. Evan Ndicka also impressed at the back, scoring the decisive fourth goal and winning 100% of his duels, with four recoveries and four clearances. Ndicka said: "I'm happy, but above all for the team and for the three points. In the second half we dropped the tempo a little. When you close the first half 4-0 there is a risk of already thinking about the next games, but that didn't happen. We are all starters and each of us has his own minutes." Roma will not return to Rome straight after the win. The squad held a recovery session at Udinese's training centre, before travelling by coach to Trieste in the afternoon and then flying to England. Roma face Manchester United at Old Trafford in a demanding Champions League fixture. The medical staff have confirmed there will be no quick returns: Svilar, Dybala and Koné will not travel and are aiming to return ahead of the next fixtures before the November break.

Bryan Cristante has said Roma are genuine contenders this season and can go all the way, after a convincing away win at Udinese. Speaking in the post-match interview, the midfielder said the club know they are at the top and must keep winning to stay in touch with the leaders. Asked whether Roma can challenge for the title, he replied: "Ci proviamo, è chiaro" — "We're trying, that's clear. But if we play like this, there are chances to go all the way." Cristante is a key figure in Gian Piero Gasperini's side, and his performance at Udinese was outstanding. Despite ongoing physical discomfort that he deals with daily, and the extended absence of key players such as Koné, he delivered consistent, high-level displays, combining quantity with ten duels won, plus balls recovered and decisive plays in both attack and defence. He also scored a goal and provided an assist. His work in midfield, alongside Marten de Roon and the growing contribution of the young players, underlines the strength of Roma's central zone. Roma's form in front of goal is a major reason for their start. According to Corriere dello Sport, the club have scored 28 goals in their first 10 league matches, a figure not recorded at this stage since the 1960/61 and 2016/17 seasons. Cristante said: "Stiamo segnando tanto e creando tanto. Quando hai questa forza offensiva, vincere è più facile" — "We're scoring a lot and creating a lot. When you have this attacking strength, winning is easier." The team now travel directly to England to prepare for their Champions League clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Cristante added: "È sempre il Manchester United, anche se è in crisi. Parliamo di una squadra forte, che ha tantissimi giocatori di qualità e in casa loro è dura per tutti" — "It's always Manchester United, even if they are in crisis. We're talking about a strong team with plenty of quality players, and at home it's tough for everyone."

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 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 5-2 at the Bluenergy Stadium, effectively wrapping up the match with four goals in 37 minutes and hitting the woodwork twice. Gian Piero Gasperini's side set the tone early: Cristante, captain for the day, rose above everyone to head home from Wesley's cross after ten minutes, beating Okoye. Before the half-hour, Soulé struck the post and Malen hit the crossbar, and then Roma accelerated decisively. Cristante went into the box and found Rodrigo Mora for the 2-0. It is the second consecutive goal for Mora, the 2007-born midfielder, after scoring against Cagliari. Just 100 seconds later Malen completed the treble, receiving from Soulé, beating Kabasele and placing a precise shot into the corner. Ndicka added the fourth at 37 minutes, rising above Palma, and the first half was practically over as a contest. Roma pressed high, won the ball back and constantly attacked in behind, showing a clear superiority. After the break, Roma inevitably eased the tempo, with the Champions League trip to Manchester United also on their minds. Zaniolo made it 4-1 after a rebound from Gollini's save, while Palma scored Udinese's second goal late on. Roma kept control and added a fifth in stoppage time: Castro provided the assist and Ghilardi volleyed home to make it 5-2. With five goals in Udine, Gasperini's side have reached 28 goals after ten matchdays, the most Roma have ever scored at this stage of a league campaign. Around 5,000 Roma supporters were in the away section. Now the level changes completely, with Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Roma produced a dominant display to beat Udinese 5-2 at the Bluenergy Stadium in the tenth round of Serie A, with Cristante, Rodrigo Mora, Malen, Ndicka and Ghilardi all on the scoresheet. Cristante was named the best player on the pitch by the Giallorossi.net editorial team, which rated him 8 out of 10, after a first half the reviewer described as monstrous: he opened the scoring with a header and then set up Rodrigo Mora for the second goal. Soulé was credited with an assist for the third goal and also set up Ndicka's header for the fourth. The result was a commanding performance from Gasperini's side, who were rated 7.5 for the manager's work despite heavy absences. The first half was largely one-sided, with Roma playing an attacking, brilliant brand of football. The second half was more loose, and Udinese scored twice, though the reviewer felt those goals were avoidable and did not detract from a strong evening. Ghilardi was rated 7.5 and was praised for playing with a composure surprising for his age, staying clean in his challenges and sealing the win with a late goal. Ndicka, rated 7, was described as attentive and was rewarded with a headed goal that made it 4-0 for the time being. Hermoso, rated 6.5, was praised for his passing and his quality with the ball. Soulé was rated 7.5 and was singled out for quality, personality and an added concreteness, with the reviewer saying he had finally made the step up that had long been asked of him. De Roon, rated 7, was praised for taking control of midfield and for his positioning. Wesley, rated 6.5, was credited with the cross for Cristante's opening header but was criticised for avoidable technical errors. Molina, rated 6, was judged to have been less convincing and was said to have made numerous simple mistakes. Gollini was rated 6, having had little to do in the first half before being beaten twice after the break. Rodrigo Mora, rated 7, scored the second goal, his third of the season, despite limited minutes, and was described as a player who knows how to find the net. Malen, rated 7, had a missed chance against the crossbar but then produced a clinical left-foot finish past Okoye. Malen was described as always dangerous, and Castro, rated 6, came on and was said to have been repeatedly called back to the bench by Gasperini before providing the pass for Ghilardi's late goal. Pisilli was rated 6 after coming on, and Koulierakis and Rensch and Mancini all came on late in the game without leaving a mark.

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.

Rodrigo Mora has been rewarded with a place in the starting line-up at Udine, four days after he came off the bench to put Roma back ahead against Cagliari, and he repaid the faith by scoring again. Gian Piero Gasperini has handed the Portuguese a first-team shirt, and Mora is responding with goals. Up to this point Mora had produced almost all of his impact from the substitutes' bench. He scored against Lecce, set up Malen against Real Madrid, and scored and assisted against Cagliari. Against Cagliari, Roma had been pegged back to 2-2 in the 81st minute. Mora then headed the new lead and created the move that led to Malen's goal for 4-2, as Marco Juric notes in La Repubblica. The 22-year-old was bought from Porto for 25 million euros, a figure the Italian report describes as currently standing. The switch to the starting XI marks a new phase. Mora is no longer simply a surprise weapon off the bench; he now has to confirm his form. In a squad built to win immediately, with Dybala and Soulé ahead of him in the pecking order, his step up is arguably the most demanding one. Gasperini continues to rely on his strongest players, but he is also widening the group of players he trusts. In short, Mora's start at Udine is both a reward and a test, and the Roma coach is showing that his trust extends beyond his established first-choice players.

Roma routed Udinese 5-2 in Udine, and Udinese coach Runjaic is reportedly close to the sack, with D'Aversa and Zanetti named as possible replacements. Roma have scored 28 goals in 10 matchdays, the best attack in Serie A, and have a goal difference of +18. Their last Serie A defeat came in April, at Inter. The numbers stand out further: Roma have seven more points than at the same stage last season against the same opponents, and 14 different players have scored for them. Malen has 11 goals in 12 appearances and 811 minutes across league and cup games. Gasperini's side were already 4-0 up at half-time, and Roma's second-half display was somewhat sluggish, with goals from Zaniolo and Palma spoiling the scoreline. Unai Gomez came close to making it 3-4 six minutes from time, which irritated Gasperini on the bench. Roma wasted several counter-attacks before Ghilardi, scoring his first goal in a Roma shirt, sealed the win deep into injury time. Gasperini said: "Mi rivedo completamente nei concetti di gioco della mia squadra. Questo è un gruppo fantastico che ha grande voglia di migliorarsi." Stoppini wrote in Corriere della Sera that Runjaic's position is hanging by a thread and that the sacking could come before Friday's match against Venezia. Roma's next test is on Tuesday, away at Manchester.