"Sometimes the numbers do tell you the story," G. Gasperini said ahead of Manchester United vs AS Roma. "Besides scoring lots of goals, we’re also scoring with many different players." AS Roma arrive at Old Trafford with 28 goals from their first 10 Serie A fixtures and a 10-game unbeaten start to the league season. That is the part of their form Manchester United have to deal with on Tuesday.
Roma's scoring spread
Gasperini's point is not just that Roma are scoring freely. It is that the goals are being shared around the squad. He said lots of players believe they can make a decisive contribution, whether that is an assist or a goal, and that confidence has produced a side that keeps finding different ways to score.
Donyell Malen is the obvious headline figure with 8 league goals and 11 in 12 appearances across all competitions, but he is not carrying the attack alone. No other Roma player has more than 3 Serie A goals so far, which is exactly why their start is awkward for opponents to read.
United's task at Old Trafford
Manchester United's own mood is much less comfortable. They made it 9 games without a victory after the 2-0 loss at Chelsea, and the league table tells its own story with United 17th in the Premier League. Three points from three Champions League outings leaves little room for error in Europe either.
The contest at Old Trafford is therefore not just about Roma's record start, it is about how widely their danger is spread. Gasperini's side can hurt teams through Malen, through supporting runners, and through players arriving from elsewhere. United have already shown enough instability to make that a problem.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 3 outlets. How we work →
