Pochettino confirmed as Manchester United head coach ahead of Liverpool trip

Mauricio Pochettino has been confirmed as Manchester United’s new head coach, with the club announcing he will be in place to oversee their Premier League trip to Liverpool on 18 November after fulfilling his remaining commitments with the United States men’s national team.

Pochettino, 54, was swiftly identified as the preferred candidate to succeed Michael Carrick, who was sacked on Thursday after overseeing just one win from United’s opening 10 Premier League games — a run that has dragged them into the relegation zone. The Argentine has signed a two-and-a-half year contract at Old Trafford.

A club statement read: “Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the Manchester United men’s head coach from 18 November. The club has reached an agreement with the U.S. Soccer Federation for Mauricio and his staff to be released after the conclusion of their responsibilities with the U.S. Men’s National Team.”

Pochettino will first oversee the USMNT’s two fixtures against Haiti — the first of which falls on Saturday — before officially beginning his new role. United described his approach as a “high-intensity, attacking style of football”.

This is not the first time United have pursued Pochettino. The club came close to appointing him during his time at Tottenham before pivoting to José Mourinho, and he was again considered for the vacancy in 2022 following Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s departure, before United ultimately chose Erik ten Hag.

Pochettino inherits a squad low on confidence after a disastrous start to the 2026-27 campaign. The goodwill generated by Carrick’s third-placed finish last season — achieved after he replaced Rubén Amorim in an interim capacity, winning 12 of 17 remaining games — has been quickly eroded. United’s statement on Carrick’s departure acknowledged his contribution, describing him as “a Manchester United legend” who “conducted himself with the highest standards of dedication and professionalism”, while noting that the club had reached “the extremely difficult conclusion that a change is necessary”.

There has been widespread sympathy for Carrick, with United’s pursuit of Pochettino having played out largely in public before Carrick was formally told of his own fate.