Roma missed the chance to go back to the top of the Serie A table as Donyell Malen was sent off in a 0-0 draw with Como.

Both sides had chances in a lively first half, but Malen's late challenge and resulting sending-off put Roma on the back foot, though Como could not find a late winner.

Jean Butez held Paulo Dybala's tame first-time shot before Nico Paz went down the other end and attempted to chip Pierluigi Gollini, who smothered the chance.

And the end-to-end opening continued as Lorenzo Pellegrini dug out a curler on the edge of the box, but it clipped the outside of the right post.

Maxence Caqueret piled the pressure on Gianluca Mancini, who could not get any purchase on his clearance, but the Frenchman fizzed his low effort narrowly wide.

Malen then raced onto a long ball to round Butez, but the angle was against him on the right of the box, and he could only find the side netting.

The Dutchman's game came to an end in the 53rd minute; he held off two challenges during a driving run through Como's half but then leapt into a tackle on Kaiki after losing control of the ball, and the referee went straight to his pocket for the red card.

Como aimed to make their numerical advantage count. Maximo Perrone blazed over, and Tasos Douvikas lashed into the side netting before Gollini acrobatically kept out Paz's snap-shot from the edge of the box.

Cesc Fabregas' side kept pushing, with Jesus Rodriguez drilling a low strike just past the post as Como had to settle for a point.

Roma's attack blunted as Malen walks

Coming into this match, Roma were the second-highest scorers in Serie A this term, but for the first time this season, they were shut out.

They were on top in the first half, having seven shots to Como's five, though both sides only managed to get one of those on target, and Gian Piero Gasperini, who is on the brink of 300 wins in Serie A, would have been confident of turning the screw after the break.

However, Malen received his first red card in the top 10 European leagues (in his 234th match) for a needless challenge, piling the pressure on Roma.

Como ultimately dominated the closing stages, finishing the game with 19 shots worth 1.48 expected goals (xG), but Gollini was largely comfortable keeping them at bay.

While the attacking play was sometimes lacking, both teams continue to show their defensive strengths; among the teams present in Serie A over the last two seasons, Roma (34) and Como (35) have conceded the fewest goals in the tournament during this period.

This is the first draw between the sides in 11 meetings, with the previous stalemate between them coming all the way back in January 1987. And it is the first 0-0 draw in the current Serie A season (match number 54).

It also means Roma missed the chance to leapfrog Inter back to the top of Serie A, sitting two points behind the leaders, while Como sit in sixth.