Youth League: Manchester United v Roma Primavera, Arena leads the line

Gian Piero Gasperini has surprisingly chosen Rodrigo Mora to start Roma's Champions League trip to Manchester United, alongside Matías Soulé and Donyell Malen rather than the usual three central midfielders. The Portuguese playmaker, a former Porto player, has won the head coach over after some frustration at spending too much of the early season on the bench. Mora has scored twice in consecutive league matches, against Cagliari and Udinese, and has delivered a run of strong performances. This will be his second start in the Champions League, and the Italian press describes it as his moment to prove himself. In defence there are doubts, with Leonardo Balerdi pushing for a place in place of Gianluca Mancini. In goal, Devis Vásquez takes over from the injured Pierluigi Gollini.

Roma's Primavera side came back from Manchester with a valuable point, drawing 1-1 at United in the fourth matchday of the Youth League League Phase, with Arena converting a late penalty. Roma trail after a goal from Thompson on 39 minutes but equalised in the closing stages, and the point lifts them to seven points. Roma started well and almost took the lead after just one minute, when Arena failed to make the most of a fine pass from Camara. As the game went on, United grew in confidence and found the opener on 39 minutes: Mantato broke down the flank and delivered a cross that Thompson drove into the net for the 1-0 English side. Coach Mattia Scala's team pushed for a response after the break but also risked conceding a second. Kilvinger was decisive on 77 minutes, stopping Ibragimov as he broke clear on the counter-attack. A minute later came the moment that changed the match: Thompson handled a cross from Corredera, and Roma were awarded a penalty. Arena stepped up and did not miss, levelling at 1-1 on 79 minutes. The score held until the final whistle. The result follows a 2-0 win over Inter in the league, and keeps alive the young Giallorossi's European ambitions. Roma now sit on seven points after four matchdays. Their next fixture, on 25 November, is an away trip to Paris Saint-Germain.

Roma are preparing for tonight's Champions League fixture against Manchester United at Old Trafford. The squad travelled to England directly from Friuli without returning to Trigoria, and are spending their final hours before the match resting, preparing and following instructions from the coaching staff under Gian Piero Gasperini. For their stay in England, Roma have chosen the Lowry Hotel, a luxury property in central Manchester on the banks of the River Irwell. The hotel serves as the club's base in the city during the trip, ahead of the European tie against the Red Devils. The Italian report also features a related piece on Manchester United v Roma, in which goalkeeper Gollini is reported to be in doubt, but the details of that story are not covered in this article.

Roma's Primavera side came back from Manchester with a valuable point, drawing 1-1 at United in the fourth matchday of the Youth League League Phase, with Arena converting a late penalty. Roma trail after a goal from Thompson on 39 minutes but equalised in the closing stages, and the point lifts them to seven points. Roma started well and almost took the lead after just one minute, when Arena failed to make the most of a fine pass from Camara. As the game went on, United grew in confidence and found the opener on 39 minutes: Mantato broke down the flank and delivered a cross that Thompson drove into the net for the 1-0 English side. Coach Mattia Scala's team pushed for a response after the break but also risked conceding a second. Kilvinger was decisive on 77 minutes, stopping Ibragimov as he broke clear on the counter-attack. A minute later came the moment that changed the match: Thompson handled a cross from Corredera, and Roma were awarded a penalty. Arena stepped up and did not miss, levelling at 1-1 on 79 minutes. The score held until the final whistle. The result follows a 2-0 win over Inter in the league, and keeps alive the young Giallorossi's European ambitions. Roma now sit on seven points after four matchdays. Their next fixture, on 25 November, is an away trip to Paris Saint-Germain.

Roma travel to Old Trafford tonight, Tuesday 3 November, for a Champions League League Phase matchday four clash against Manchester United, coached by Michael Carrick, with kickoff at 21:00. Both sides have high stakes for their European campaigns. Roma come into the game full of confidence after a 5-2 win at Udinese and have taken four points from their first three Champions League matches, drawing with Fenerbahçe, losing to Real Madrid and beating Slovan Bratislava 4-0. Manchester United have three points and are going through a difficult spell: they have not won in nine matches across the league and cup, and Carrick's position is under pressure. Carrick has Yoro available again in Europe, while Dorgu, Shaw, Ugarte and Šeško are out and Rashford is a fitness doubt. Lammens is expected in goal, with Yoro, Maguire, Lisandro Martinez and Dalot in front of him. Mainoo and Andrey Santos are favoured in midfield, with Mbeumo, Tielemans and Bruno Fernandes supporting Matheus Cunha. Gasperini still has to do without Svilar, Koné, Dybala and Pellegrini. Gollini is confirmed in goal, with Mancini, N'Dicka and Hermoso in front of him. Lulli is favoured over Molina at right wing-back, while Wesley plays on the left. De Roon and Pisilli are set to fill the midfield, and Cristante could be pushed into a more advanced role alongside Soulé, behind Malen. The match is broadcast exclusively on Sky. It will be shown on Sky Sport Arena and Sky Sport 253, and streamed on Sky Go and NOW. Fabio Caressa will commentate, with expert analysis from Beppe Bergomi. Bookmakers make it a balanced contest with Manchester United slightly favoured. Bwin price the home win at 2.35, the draw at 3.75 and a Roma win at 2.75, while Eurobet offer 2.30 for a United win and 2.65 for a Roma win. Over 2.5 goals and both teams to score are strongly fancied. The 1-1 scoreline is the shortest correct score at around 7.80, followed by a 2-1 United win and a 1-2 Roma win. Given the form of both sides, Roma have real chances of a result, but a draw with goals looks the most cautious outcome. Jesús Gil Manzano (Spain) referees, assisted by Guadalupe Porras Ayuso and Diego Barbero, with Juan Martínez Munuera as fourth official, Carlos del Cerro Grande on VAR and Guillermo Cuadra Fernández as assistant VAR.

Evan N'Dicka praised Roma's win at Udinese, a match valid for the tenth round of Serie A, and said his own goal meant a lot to him after what happened two years ago. Roma took a 4-0 lead at half-time, and N'Dicka admitted the team eased off after that. The centre-back, who joined Roma from Eintracht Frankfurt in July 2023, said the result was what mattered most. Roma came away from the Dacia Arena with three points, even though the second half was not as convincing as the first. N'Dicka said that once the side was four goals up, the pace dropped somewhat. He added that the squad were pleased with the three points. Asked what the goal meant to him after what had happened two years ago, N'Dicka said: "I am very happy about my goal, also because of what has happened, but first of all for the team. We are happy with these three points." He said: "When you win 0-4 at half-time, I don't want to say we have our minds on other matches... but we dropped the pace a little. We won, and that is the most important thing."