Pochettino takes over at Manchester United as Carrick era ends

Manchester United have appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new head coach, ending Michael Carrick's spell in charge after the club's worst-ever start to a Premier League season, Yahoo Sports reported.

The Red Devils confirmed Carrick's dismissal on Thursday, with Pochettino set to take over on Wednesday and make his bow against Liverpool on November 22.

United had slipped to 18th in the table with just one win from ten league games before the change, a run that included a 4-4 home draw with Aston Villa, according to Metro Football. They had also been eliminated from the Carabao Cup, beaten 3-2 at home by Brighton in September.

Metro reported that United had already struck an initial agreement with Pochettino, who had been contracted as head coach of the United States national team and carried a buyout clause reported at $10 million, or roughly £7.4 million. The expectation, per that report, was that he would be in the Old Trafford dugout in time for the Liverpool fixture.

United confirmed the move had been cleared with the sport's American governing body. '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,' the club said, as relayed by Yahoo Sports.

In their statement, United described the 54-year-old Argentinian as renowned for 'his high-intensity, attacking style of football, his dedication to building strong, cohesive teams and his outstanding record of developing individual players.'

Pochettino's managerial career began at Espanyol before spells at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea. He won Ligue 1, the French Cup and the French Super Cup with PSG, and guided Spurs to the runner-up spot behind Liverpool in the 2018-19 Champions League final.

With the United States, he oversaw a 21-12-2 record across 35 matches and led the Americans to the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, a tournament in which the USMNT set a national record of three victories and scored 11 goals, their highest tournament tally, Yahoo Sports reported.

Harry Kane, who spent five years playing under Pochettino at Tottenham and reached a League Cup final and a Champions League final with him, endorsed the move before it was confirmed. Asked about the prospect of his former manager joining United, Kane told reporters, according to Metro Football: 'Me and Mauricio obviously have a fantastic relationship.'

Kane credited Pochettino with shaping a key stage of his development. 'I mentioned him as one of the coaches who had a big impact on my career and definitely my development. At that stage of my career I needed his guidance and the way he pushed me, not just on the pitch but off the pitch as well, he was really, really helpful.'

He added: 'Obviously a fantastic coach, he's managed the biggest clubs in the world. From my point of view, I can't speak highly enough of him.' Kane said the uncertainty over the move at the time meant he could only offer a personal view: 'We'll have to wait and see what happens but I know he's a great guy but also a fantastic manager.'

The appointment featured prominently on Guardian Sport's Football Weekly podcast, where Jacob Steinberg, Lars Sivertsen and Paul Watson joined host Robyn Cowen to discuss the implications of United turning to Pochettino during the international break.

Pochettino's first test comes immediately, against a Liverpool side United face on November 22 as he looks to arrest a slide that has left the club in the bottom half of the table deep into the season.