Manchester United face a defining moment when they welcome Roma to Old Trafford on Tuesday, 3 November, in a crucial UEFA Champions League league-phase fixture. Kick-off is at 8:00pm GMT, with manager Michael Carrick under intense scrutiny heading into what could be the most important week of his tenure.

Carrick's position on the line

United arrive at this match in troubling form — nine games without a win across all competitions — and sitting in 17th place in the Premier League following a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea last Saturday. In the Champions League, three points from their opening three games leave them in the lower half of the 36-team table, putting qualification for the knockout phase in real jeopardy.

Reports indicate that Carrick's future will be assessed during the upcoming international break. That gives the 45-year-old two fixtures to reverse United's fortunes: Tuesday's visit from Roma and Sunday's Premier League encounter at home to Aston Villa.

Injury concerns for United

United will again be without Luke Shaw, while Marcus Rashford is listed as doubtful. Amad Diallo, who hobbled off during the Chelsea defeat, is expected to return to the squad.

Free-scoring Roma arrive in confident mood

Roma are no straightforward opposition. The Giallorossi have scored 28 goals in their first 10 Serie A matches this season and have found the net at least three times in five of their last six games across all competitions. Last Saturday, they thrashed Udinese 5-2, with former Aston Villa striker Donyell Malen taking his seasonal tally to 11 goals in all competitions.

Roma's Champions League campaign has also produced drama. After drawing 1-1 at Fenerbahce in gameweek one, they suffered a 4-3 home defeat to Real Madrid — having led 3-1 with eight minutes remaining — before rebounding with a commanding 4-0 victory over Slovan Bratislava. Roma have lost on all four of their previous visits to Old Trafford, though they will be eager to change that record here.

However, the Italian club will travel to Manchester without key attackers Paulo Dybala and Lorenzo Pellegrini, both ruled out for the fixture.

How to watch

In the United Kingdom, the match is available on Amazon Prime Video, which offers a 30-day free trial for new subscribers. Viewers in the United States can watch on Paramount+, with kick-off at 3:00pm ET. Australian fans can tune in via Stan Sport, with the game starting at 7:00am AEDT on Wednesday.