Donyell Malen’s red-hot run — five goals in five Serie A games and a brace in Napoli’s 2-2 draw — makes him an attractive anytime-scorer bet and boosts markets for Roma to score. Defensive lapses suggest punters may prefer "Roma to score & both teams to score" or Malen Anytime rather than backing Roma for a clean-sheet victory; monitor the loan option-to-buy for longer-term odds movement.
Donyell Malen shines as Roma drop two points in 2-2 Napoli draw
Donyell Malen continued his sensational start in Serie A with a brace in Napoli’s 2-2 draw, taking his tally to five goals in five league appearances since joining Roma on loan from Aston Villa. Despite his impact, Roma saw victory slip away twice — once via a deflected Leonardo Spinazzola strike and again to a late finish from Alisson Santos — leaving Malen frustrated by the result.
Malen: “We deserved to win”
“To be honest, I am quite disappointed. I think we deserved to win it and had done enough. Obviously, it was a good night personally, but this is football and you want to win,” Malen said after the match. He added that he had a good feeling when signing and knows his qualities, citing momentum and a bit of luck as factors in his fast start.
Gasperini’s influence and the striker role
Roma coach Gian Piero Gasperini has been credited with convincing Malen to move to the club and explaining the role he envisages. Gasperini described Malen as “the ideal striker for my style of football,” and Malen affirmed that the coach played a big role in his decision. The forward has embraced Roma’s ambitions and believes the club is the right place to showcase his game.
Match turning points
Roma twice surrendered the lead: first to a deflected effort involving Leonardo Spinazzola, and later to a decisive Alisson Santos finish. The pattern underlined Roma’s attacking potency but also raised questions about defensive concentration at critical moments.
Transfer context and implications
Malen arrived in January on loan from Aston Villa with an option to buy at the end of the season. His immediate returns have strengthened Roma’s attacking options and could influence whether the club triggers the purchase clause, as well as market perceptions about Roma’s long-term prospects.
What this means for Roma and upcoming fixtures
Malen’s form offers Roma a clear attacking focal point moving forward, but defensive lapses must be addressed to convert strong performances into consistent wins. Opponents will likely plan specifically to contain Malen, so Roma’s coaching staff will need tactical tweaks to keep him effective.
Betting and market notes
Malen’s scoring run makes him a compelling pick for anytime-scorer markets and boosts confidence in Roma scoring in upcoming fixtures.
However, the conceded goals suggest markets that combine Roma to score with both teams to score could offer better value than backing Roma for a clean-sheet win.
Keep an eye on transfer developments — a permanent move would likely shorten odds on Malen for long-term scoring markets.
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