According to a report by Flashscore on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, Manchester United had a difficult first half against AS Roma in their Champions League encounter, with several players struggling to make an impact as the Italian side took control of the game.

United went into the dressing room trailing 2-0 after failing to deal with Roma’s attacking pressure. Their defensive mistakes and lack of effectiveness in the final third contributed to a disappointing opening 45 minutes, with five players standing out for their struggles.

Ayden Heaven was among the most disappointing performers after handling the ball inside the penalty area in the 16th minute. The incident gave Roma a penalty, which Donyell Malen calmly converted to extend the visitors’ advantage to 2-0. His mistake placed United in a difficult position as they tried to recover from the early setback.

Bruno Fernandes also struggled to provide the attacking leadership expected from him. Although he attempted several forward passes, his efforts did not produce the desired results. The United captain received a yellow card in the 20th minute, saw one of his free-kicks blocked by the defensive wall and later sent another opportunity over the crossbar.

Bryan Mbeumo was another player who failed to influence the game in the opening half. He attempted to create an opportunity through an individual run in the 34th minute, but a Roma defender blocked his effort before it could develop into a serious threat.

Matheus Cunha equally found it difficult to trouble Roma’s defence. His attempt from outside the penalty area in the 24th minute was blocked, while his earlier involvement with Fernandes failed to create a clear scoring opportunity. He was unable to provide the attacking spark United needed.

Amad Diallo also had a quiet first half. His attempted through ball in the fifth minute was intercepted by a Roma player, while another delivery into the penalty area three minutes earlier failed to reach its intended target.

The performances of these five players reflected United’s wider difficulties during the opening half. Roma were able to take advantage of their mistakes, while the home side struggled to create clear chances or establish control of the encounter.