Pat Nevin
Former Everton winger and presenter

Image source, Getty Images

Another week and another Manchester United crisis is becoming painfully predictable.

They haven't won in nine; they sit only two points off the bottom of the league; senior players have hit out at the hierarchy and the board is in the firing line.

Against that backdrop, most felt that Michael Carrick would be gone by now.

I wasn't so sure.

With Roma, Aston Villa, Sporting and Liverpool coming up after Chelsea, the directors knew that their next choice could have had a disastrous start had they moved too quickly. No matter how good he is, that is a brutal introduction for a newbie with a struggling side.

They probably reckoned it was best for Carrick to take the hits until after that run. If he turns it around in the meantime, then that works too because they get out of the danger zone. The only problem is that they could be staring up from the bottom of the Premier League by then.

Pat Nevin writes weekly in the Football Extra newsletter. If you're outside the UK and would like to receive it, sign up here.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter

Michael Carrick watched over a lively open session of pre-match training at Carrington.

Striker Bryan Mbeumo and midfielder Carlos Baleba were particularly vocal, with Argentina defender Lisandro Martinez also fully engaged despite his red card at Chelsea, which triggered such a negative reaction.

While there have been calls for Martinez to be dropped for the Roma game, Carrick was more philosophical.

"Things happen in football," he said.

"Sometimes you do things; you make a decision, you make mistakes. Sometimes it goes well for you."

He also dismissed concerns both about Martinez's commitment, and that of his entire squad.

"Perceptions are a funny thing," he said.

"They can make things look all sorts of different ways. The dressing room is a good place.

"I've said it before, I don't question the commitment of the players, to the club and to me and to each other. We need to play better. We can make better decisions. But commitment's not a thing at all."

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the Nou Camp

Just under an hour before kick off and some early Aston Villa fans are refusing to let the rain spoil their evening.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

This will be the first meeting between Barcelona and Aston Villa since the European Super Cup final (played over two legs) in January 1983, which was won 3-1 on aggregate by the Villans (lost 1-0 away, won 3-0 at home).

BBC Radio 5 Live

Build up to tonight's action is just getting started over on BBC Radio 5 Live.

Kelly Cates presents with full match commentary of Barcelona v Aston Villa to follow at 20:00 with Stephen Warnock and John Murray.

Click the 'watch & listen' tab at the top of this page.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the Nou Camp

England forward Anthony Gordon is recalled for Barcelona having come off the bench to score in Saturday's 6-1 win over Alaves.

Gerard Martin also for the hosts in defence as Frenkie de Jong and Karim Adeyemi drop to the bench.

Barcelona XI: Garcia, Farinas, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo, Rodri, Pedri, Lamal, Lopez, Gordon, Raphinha.

Subs: Balde, Gavi, Jesus, Adeyemi, De Jong, Bernal, Abdelkarim, Goren, Victor, Campos.

Unai Emery makes two changes to face Barcelona in the Champions League.

Joao Gomes and Emi Buendia return following Saturday's 1-1 draw with Fulham as Leon Goretzka and Alysson drop to the bench.

Aston Villa XI: Suzuki, Cash, Lindelof, Torres, Maatsen, Gomes, Kamara, McGinn, Manzambi, Buendia, Jackson.

Subs: Bizot, Wright, Harwood-Bellis, Mings, Barkley, Garnacho, Abraham, Mbaye, Goretzka, Alysson, Hemmings.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Manchester United reporter at Old Trafford

Lisandro Martinez has been dropped by Manchester United boss Michael Carrick. Martinez was sent off in Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Chelsea after picking up two quick bookings. The Argentina defender is replaced by Ayden Heaven.

Carrick makes two changes to the side that lost at Stamford Bridge, with Kobbie Mainoo replacing Andrey Santos in midfield.

Man Utd XI: Lammens, Yoro, Maguire, Heaven, Dalot, Baleba, Mainoo, Amad, Fernandes, Cunha, Mbeumo.

Subs: Darlow, Heaton, Amass, De Ligt, Martinez, Mazraoui, Andrey Santos, Mount, T Fletcher, Tielemans, Lacey, Zirkzee.

Roma are impressing this season under coach Gian Piero Gasperini. Their only defeat this season was in the Champions League against Real Madrid, when they led with seven minutes to go.

AS Roma XI: Vasquez, Rensch, Balerde, Hermoso, Cristante, Mancini, De Roon, Wesley, Soule, Rodrigo Mora, Malen.

Subs: De Marzi, Koulierakis, Ndicka, Castro, Molina, Pisilli, De Nunzio, Lulli, Ghilardi.

Time to get into some team news...

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Tonight is Harry Kane's first Champions League game since winning the Ballon d'Or; a first opportunity to show Europe's elite why he won the prestigious award.

Atletico Madrid fans were probably happy to see Kane beat Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe to the trophy but they'll hope their side can keep the England captain quiet tonight.

After scoring 14 goals in 13 Champions League matches last season, Kane has four in three so far this campaign with a couple of assists to his name as well.

Having scored in his last 10 appearances in the competitions, a goal tonight would see Kane equal the longest scoring streak in European Cup/UEFA Champions League history: 11 in a row by Cristiano Ronaldo for Real Madrid, between June 2017 and April 2018.

Nick Mashiter
BBC Sport football news reporter at the Nou Camp

It has been tipping it down in Barcelona for the last couple of hours and with the Nou Camp without a roof, there are going to be a lot of drenched supporters.

Some Aston Villa fans already braved the weather with just under two hours before kick off as they huddled under umbrellas.

Unai Emery celebrates his 55th birthday today as he plots to take down Barca.

His last Champions League game at the stadium was 'La Remontada' in 2017 when his Paris St Germain side collapsed in the last 16 to lose 6-1 - 6-5 on aggregate - having won the first leg 4-0.

He brushed it off as just another game in his pre-match press conference on Monday but Aston Villa at the Nou Camp will not feel like a normal game for the 3,000 fans with tickets.

Be honest, who thought Michael Carrick would still be in the job for tonight's match against Roma?

Rumours around the Manchester United boss' future at Old Trafford have been circulating for several weeks now with United enduring a poor run of form which has seen them flirt with the relegation zone.

Their last Champions League match - a 4-1 defeat by Como - intensified the scrutiny and they have not won a match since.

It seems that if Carrick is to lose his job it may happen during the international break - that means he has two matches for things to start looking up.

Tonight against Roma and Sunday against Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Let us know your thoughts on all the action this evening.

From Harry Kane's first appearance in the Champions League since being crowned the winner of the Ballon d'Or. To Michael Carrick still being in a job at Old Trafford and Aston Villa flying high at the top of the Champions League table.

We want to hear from you in all the usual ways.

Two matches already under way with Galatasaray leading Stuttgart 2-0 at the break and Shakhtar Donetsk and Sporting level at 0-0.

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And in the bottom half of the Champions League table, Manchester United currently sit 21st. Only the top 24 sides make it through to the next stage.

Can they boost themselves up the table tonight?

Here's how things are shaping up in the Champions League so far. This is before tonight's two early matches kicked off so, of course, things will look different by the end of that.

Aston Villa are flying high with Liverpool and Arsenal also in the top eight and therefore the automatic progression spots.

Two English teams in action tonight with Aston Villa and Manchester United preparing to take on Barcelona and Roma, respectively. Some other crackers in here too:

• Atletico Madrid v Bayern Munich
• Barcelona v Aston Villa
• Bodo/Glimt v Lille
• Feyenoord v Inter Milan
• LASK v Slovan Bratislava
• Manchester United v Roma
• Villarreal v Paris St-Germain

European nights under the lights...

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