Manchester United remain in the Premier League's bottom three after winning just one of their opening 10 league fixtures, and the numbers behind incoming manager Mauricio Pochettino suggest a quick turnaround could prove difficult.
United's poor form led to the dismissal of Michael Carrick, who was officially relieved of his duties on Thursday. Pochettino looks set to replace the former Red Devils midfielder in the Old Trafford dugout, having already reached a verbal agreement on personal terms.
Mixed Record at Previous Clubs
Pochettino's best start came at Paris Saint-Germain, where he won seven of his opening 10 matches and drew another to collect 22 points from those fixtures. The numbers from his other previous clubs make for comparatively grim reading.
He earned 15 points from his first 10 games in charge of Southampton and claimed 14 points from the same number of fixtures in his early days at Tottenham. It was a similar story during his spell in charge of Chelsea, who picked up just 12 points from their opening 10 games under Pochettino's leadership.
Pressure to Start Quickly
He made another slow start when he first ventured into management with Espanyol, claiming only a point per match across that same timeframe. United cannot afford to start slowly under Pochettino, who will be desperate to come flying out of the blocks with the threat of a relegation scrap looming large.
His impending arrival at Old Trafford has been a long time coming, with the 54-year-old having been interviewed for the job on two previous occasions. He was a serious contender before United decided to appoint Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in 2019, and again when Erik ten Hag was handed the reins in 2022.
