Manchester United's Under 19s returned to UEFA Youth League action with a 1-1 draw against Roma's Under 19s. 

Tynan Thompson netted the opening goal after 38 minutes with a composed volley inside the box from a Bendito Mantato cross and Amir Ibragimov duck. 

Roma replied from the penalty spot with 10 minutes to play. The referee waited some time before awarding the spot kick for handball, following shouts from the Roma representatives in the stands. 

Jack and Tyler Fletcher partnered in central midfield, but both could make the first-team squad for the Champions League tie later this evening. Amir Ibragimov was another to impress, and he will be hoping for a first-team chance sooner rather than later. 

Manchester United's Under 19s now sit in the top 22 of the UEFA Youth League table, which will see them progress to the next round. They face Sporting CP later this month and RB Leipzig in December. 

Here are five things Roundtable noticed from the Youth League tie.

Michael Carrick has come under criticism for his pressing shape this season. The players and the board have taken much of the blame, but fans have recognised that Carrick has not been without fault. 

The 4-2-4 pressing shape has been the main point of criticism for some fans and pundits, with Manchester United's wide players easily beaten if the goalkeeper clips a pass into the full-backs. 

However, Adam Lawrence's Under 19s deployed the same structure against Roma Under 19s and did not experience such problems. 

When the ball went wide, a Fletcher brother would assist the winger, while the other would invert and take up a more central position. Helafu and Watson, as the full-backs, also followed their men up and down the flanks. 

The Under 19s' performance would suggest that the pressing shape is not the problem, but it is those who are playing in it. 

Following the first team, Manchester United's youth sides typically play a 4-2-3-1 shape, but against Roma Under 19s, Lawrence's side were closer to a 4-4-2, although that was not always the case. 

Amir Ibragimov and Jaume Camacho led the line, but often dropped into the space ahead of the Fletcher twins, forcing the Roma centre-backs out of position. Both had spells as the lone centre-forward, but neither are natural strikers. 

Tynan Thompson netted the first goal of the game from a Bendito Mantato cross. Ibragimov was occupying one centre-back, while Camacho had dropped and caused an issue for the backline. Ibragimov ducked, leaving Thompson free to volley it home. 

Michael Carrick has used a similar shape on occasion this season, with Bruno Fernandes and Youri Tielemans starting together against Como in the Champions League, but the Under 19s found their approach much more successful. 

No Manchester United player caused more problems for Roma than Tynan Thompson, especially in the first 45 minutes. 

The left-winger, who moved to Manchester from Tottenham Hotspur for £4 million (plus £4 million in add-ons) in the summer, netted the opener after 38 minutes, but that was merely the cherry on top of an excellent half of football. 

Thompson faced off against pantomime villain Marchetti, who found himself on the end of some jeers, but had no problem regularly dribbling past him with quick step-overs. 

Jaume Camacho came close to scoring the opener early on, following Thompson's quick feet and cross from the left flank. 

But it was the No.27 who scored the first goal of the game with a composed volley from Bendito Mantato's cross. 

Thompson will be hoping for first-team football this season, and after that performance, who can blame him? 

While the side at the Progress with Unity Stadium was Manchester United's U19s, there were several who are regulars for the Under 21s side. 

Jack and Tyler Fletcher were physically dominant in central midfield, while Ibragimov more than handled the pushing and shoving from Roma's back line. And as mentioned, Thompson regularly made easy work of Marchetti. 

All four could be named on Michael Carrick's bench this evening, but opportunites have been difficult to come by this term. Just ask Harry Amass and Shea Lacey. 

With so much talent and the first-team in such a difficult period, perhaps the best option would be to turn towards the loan market ahead of the January transfer window. 

The Progress with Unity Stadium was far from full on Tuesday afternoon, but there was good support for both Manchester United and Roma. Still, the loudest voice of them all was Adam Lawrence. 

The United head coach regularly belted out instructions, praise, and even some advice for the referee throughout the 90 minutes. 

Michael Carrick is known for his composure on the sidelines. He does shout and scream sometimes, but more often than not, Carrick leaves that to his players on the pitch. 

But as Lawrence proved, that can be exactly what the players need to hear. 

Before the first goal, Lawrence shouted Mantato, who was on the other side of the pitch, instructing him to hang wide and wait for the diagonal pass. The young right-winger did exactly that, and he assisted the first goal from wide on the right-hand side.

If nothing else, perhaps Carrick can learn to be more vocal, though he was not present at the Progress with Unity Stadium. Darren Fletcher and Wayne Rooney were watching from the stands.