Manchester United Vs AS Roma [3–2] – Champions League 2026/2027: Roma Expose Man United Defensive Problems Despite Late Comeback – Tactical Analysis

Manchester United hosted AS Roma at Old Trafford for their fourth fixture of the UEFA Champions League’s league phase, and the match ended with a 3-2 win for the Red Devils in a very entertaining encounter.

It was entertaining mainly because Roma dominated early before Manchester United completed a comeback to win the match.

This win was important for Manchester United, especially following their negative Premier League results.

It put the team in 17th place in the league phase with two wins and two losses so far, a relatively good position for the Red Devils, but one that requires more positive results in the coming fixtures.

For Roma, it was a painful loss that will surely disappoint the players and the coaching staff, especially after they'd had a two-goal advantage.

At the same time, it was an experience to learn from, as Gian Piero Gasperini’s team does not often concede this type of comeback, especially in Serie A, where they usually dominate.

In this tactical analysis, we look at the recent issues Michael Carrick's side has faced, especially in their match against Chelsea in the EPL, before delving deeper into the defensive issues that led to two goals conceded against Roma and which could have led to even more goals conceded in this match.

Manchester United Vs AS Roma Lineups & Formations

Manchester United Lineup Vs AS Roma

Carrick opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation with Senne Lammens as a goalkeeper, Leny Yoro as a right-back, Harry Maguire and Ayden Heaven as centre-backs, and Diogo Dalot as a left-back.

The midfield featured Kobbie Mainoo and Carlos Baleba as central midfielders, Bruno Fernandes as an advanced playmaker, Amad Diallo and Matheus Cunha as wingers, and Bryan Mbeumo as the main striker.

AS Roma Lineup Vs Manchester United

For Roma, Gasperini used a 3-4-2-1 formation, with Devis Vásquez in goal and a back three of Gianluca Mancini on the right, Leonardo Balerdi in the centre, and Mario Hermoso on the left.

The midfield line featured Wesley França and Devyne Rensch as left and right wing-backs, with Bryan Cristante and Marten de Roon as central midfielders, and Rodrigo Mora and Matías Soulé as wide playmakers supporting the main striker, Donyell Malen.

Manchester United Defensive Weaknesses

Manchester United have been going through a very negative period at the start of this season.

The main issues stem from a lack of balance in the defensive phase, especially in defensive line organisation, whether in 1v1 marking or collective movement.

These defensive issues have persisted, and no concrete solutions have been implemented to address them.

In fact, these defensive weaknesses have punished Manchester United on numerous occasions, even when they attacked well and scored.

Against Chelsea, for instance, Manchester United put in a very positive attacking performance in the first half.

Still, they failed to score and failed to keep a clean sheet as Chelsea started to attack consistently in the second half.

This means Manchester United have failed to secure draws even when they failed to score, mainly due to defensive issues.

Chelsea’s first goal was scandalous, given how Manchester United dealt with Morgan Rogers’ penetration.

Although the action was a counterattack that started following a mid-recovery of the ball from Mbeumo, the defensive transition and the positioning of Manchester United’s players following that interception represented pure chaos that helped Rogers advance with ease until reaching the box and scoring.

Both Andrey Santos and Lisandro Martínez dealt with Rogers’ penetration in a passive, debutant way, allowing him to advance without preventing him from finding a way out, and reacting passively to his body feints (like Santos’ late, distant sliding tackle and Martínez’s passive disturbance).

These defensive issues have helped Manchester United’s opponents find ways to punish them, even when those opponents are not in their best run of form.