Why Evan Ferguson is under pressure to break his Roma duck against Inter in Serie A showdown
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Published 18/10/2025 at 08:14 GMT+1
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Roma are flying high under Gian Piero Gasperini and go into Saturday's clash with Inter - live on TNT Sports - as joint-leaders alongside Napoli. However, strikers Evan Ferguson and Artem Dovbyk have faced stern scrutiny after mustering just one goal between them. After scoring for the Republic of Ireland, can Ferguson now finally find his first Serie A goal a day before turning 21?
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Home is where the heart is for Evan Ferguson. It also seems to be where the goals are.
The striker returned from Dublin to Rome this week on the back of a match-winning performance against Armenia, his header in a 1-0 win keeping the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifying hopes alive.
It couldn’t have come at a better time. While Ferguson’s recent form in the emerald green of his national team has been impressive, with three goals in four games since September, he is yet to find the net for Roma. And the pressure is growing.
The former Brighton & Hove Albion man’s time in the Eternal City so far shows just how quickly things can change in football.
He got off to a blistering start with a flurry of goals in pre-season, before being hailed as a "new idol" of the Romanisti after a man-of-the-match display on his Serie A debut against Bologna.
However, his form has since taken a dive. Heading into Saturday night’s blockbuster clash with Inter at the Stadio Olimpico - live on TNT Sports and discovery+ - a struggling Ferguson is likely to be left on the bench after losing his place to Artem Dovbyk.
The Irishman is yet to score in seven games for the Giallorossi and with patience starting to wear thin, the best present he can hope for to mark his 21st birthday on Sunday would be to open his Italian account.
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Strikers cause 'issues' despite Gasperini's fast start
Roma’s striker struggles have been the only mark against a strong start under new coach Gian Piero Gasperini, with the capital club joint-top of the table alongside champions Napoli ahead of the visit of Inter – who are three points behind in fourth.
Dovbyk was put up for sale in the summer after an underwhelming debut campaign in which the fans turned against the Ukrainian, but he usurped Ferguson in the pecking order before the international break after scoring in a 2-0 win over Hellas Verona.
The former Girona man did not do his case any favours when he failed with two of three consecutive missed penalties for his side in an extraordinary moment during their 1-0 UEFA Europa League defeat to Lille.
But Ferguson still appears to be on the back foot in the battle for a starting shirt after starting the last three games on the bench.
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Friday’s edition of Roman newspaper Corriere dello Sport highlighted that Ferguson has mustered just three shots on target in 387 minutes of football, while editor Ivan Zazzaroni wrote: "If Gasperini had strikers capable of putting the ball in the net, Roma wouldn’t be bad."
Former England manager Fabio Capello has weighed in, too, saying Roma "have issues in attack" as "Dovbyk and Ferguson aren’t top players."
Roma’s success thus far has been built on a watertight defence, with Gasperini’s side conceding just twice in six league games and only winning by more than a single goal once.
During his celebrated nine-year spell at Atalanta, Gasperini was renowned for an attacking brand of football, using an enterprising 3-4-2-1 system characterised by man-to-man marking and intense pressing.
In Rome, he finds himself with an abundance of options for the two attacking midfield roles – Paulo Dybala, Matias Soule, Lorenzo Pellegrini, Stephan El Shaarawy, Tommaso Baldanzi, Neil El Aynaoui and Leon Bailey – but only two options as the spearhead to his attack.
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So far, Gasperini has insisted it is up to Ferguson and Dovbyk to convince him who is the starter and who is the deputy.
"There isn’t one player ahead of another; they’re always competing depending on the periods, the moments and the games we face," Gasperini said.
"Ferguson is a young player, born in 2004, who did very well two years ago [at Brighton]. Last season, he struggled with injuries and a change of club [on loan to West Ham United] in January, which meant he played little.
"The goal with him is to restore the expectations that were placed on him when he first broke through. He’s committed, and he and Dovbyk are alternating. Their growth, especially from a physical standpoint, is very important."
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Ferguson adapting to 'different game' in Italy
Perhaps due to his exceptionally early breakthrough – Ferguson made his senior debut for Bohemians aged 14 and his Brighton debut aged 16 – it can be forgotten how young the Irishman still is.
Ferguson’s 2024/25 campaign was a disappointment, scoring one goal in 21 Premier League games between The Seagulls and West Ham, and his fresh start in the Italian capital came with fresh challenges at the tender age of 20.
A new language, culture, climate and diet all take some getting used to, as does the famously detail-orientated approach of Serie A, and the youngster explained to RTE during the international break that he is still adjusting.
"The game is different because it's a lot more tactical," he said.
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"You're playing man-to-man nearly every week with teams having different systems. That's where it's different to England, where it's more back-and-forth, back-and-forth. But it's a good change."
Ferguson’s new club might be flying high, but one of Italy’s most famously demanding fanbases will expect the goals to arrive soon.
If they do, the Irish youngster will find himself at the forefront of a team looking to finally end a painful seven-year absence from the UEFA Champions League – or possibly go even further.
"It’s a long journey, and we are only at the start, so we should wait before passing judgement," Roma legend Francesco Totti told Gazzetta dello Sport.
"If they should still be among the top teams with seven or eight games left, then they can dream.
"I can say this side has everything required to target a Champions League place, which is the main objective."
Stream Serie A, the Premier League, Men’s and Women’s FA Cup, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League and more on TNT Sports and discovery+
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