Pochettino in the frame as United prepare to pull the plug on Michael Carrick
It seems Manchester United are about to climb back aboard the managerial merry-go-round. Michael Carrick is expected to lose his job this week, and on the evidence of the season so far it is hard to call the decision a surprise. United are 18th, with eight points from their opening ten league games, their poorest domestic start in four decades. For a club with their resources, that is simply not good enough.
The curious part is the ambition that still exists in the boardroom. United’s hierarchy reportedly believe a top-five finish is still achievable. We read that as a vote of confidence in the players and a clear verdict on the coach. If the squad is good enough and results are this poor, the man in charge is the one who pays.
The reprieve that changed nothing
Carrick, 45, survived the defeat to Bournemouth because the club wanted more evidence before acting. The plan was to watch the next few matches and reassess over the international break. Since then United have won one, drawn one and lost one, a return that tells nobody anything new.
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The weekend draw with Aston Villa was the third match of that trial period, and it captured the problem perfectly. United have come from two goals down three times this season, which shows character, but you only need that much character when you keep gifting opponents a head start. Leaking goals at this rate is the real issue, and it has not gone away.
Why Pochettino keeps coming up
The name attracting most attention is Mauricio Pochettino, who is said to want the role and has been linked with it for years. He recently agreed fresh terms with the United States after taking them to the last 16 of the World Cup, but that deal reportedly includes a release clause of around £7m. United would also have to compensate his backroom team, and with Pochettino that is not optional. Jesus Perez and the rest of his trusted staff go wherever he goes.
There is an irony here. United could have had him for nothing in the summer, when he was out of work, and chose not to. Hesitation now has a price tag.
Julian Nagelsmann and Eddie Howe have also been mentioned, but Pochettino looks the most logical option for a club craving experience and organisation.
Our take from the Liverpool side
From our point of view, the timing is fascinating. United’s first game after the break is at Anfield. Whether they arrive with Carrick still in place, an interim in the dugout, or a brand new manager who has had a handful of training sessions, they will turn up in a state of flux. Teams in that position can find a bounce, but they can also crumble under pressure, and Anfield is where pressure lives. Liverpool should be ready for either version, and ruthless with whichever one arrives.
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