Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly close to being appointed Manchester United manager, with the club's next match away to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday week. The move would see the United States national team coach take over from Michael Carrick, who is expected to be dismissed during the November international break.
Liverpool supporters had anticipated this scenario for weeks, watching Carrick become the latest in a long line of United managers to see matters unravel. The timing is familiar: United would wait for the international break, sack the manager, and install a new boss to inject confidence ahead of the first game back, which is against Liverpool.
Liverpool's Experience with New Manager Bounce
Liverpool have already faced a 'new manager bounce' this season, drawing 2-2 with Newcastle United in Matthias Jaissle's first competitive game in charge on the opening weekend. Last season, the Reds won at Nottingham Forest days after Vitor Pereira had been appointed boss at the City Ground.
The meeting between the bitter North West rivals has often proved pivotal in shaping managerial futures. Jose Mourinho was sacked as United boss after a 3-1 loss at Liverpool in December 2018, while Ole Gunnar Solskjaer lasted only a month after a 5-0 home defeat to the Reds in October 2021 before being dismissed. Roy Hodgson was axed by Liverpool shortly before an FA Cup trip to Old Trafford in January 2011, and Erik Ten Hag's first win as United boss came at home to Liverpool in August 2022, after which United finished above them in the Premier League.
Pochettino's Record Against Liverpool
Pochettino's managerial record against Liverpool is not strong. In 19 games, he has won only three times: twice with Southampton and once with Tottenham Hotspur. His last meeting with the Reds was the League Cup final loss with Chelsea in 2024.
Two of those victories came in his first two games against Liverpool, with Brendan Rodgers in the opposing dugout. The other was a 4-1 triumph over Jurgen Klopp's side at Wembley in 2017. Of all the clubs he has faced at least 10 times, only against Real Madrid does Pochettino have a worse points-per-game ratio.
Liverpool's Need for Improvement
Regardless of who is in the United dugout on November 21, Liverpool know they need to improve both their home Premier League record under Andoni Iraola and their recent form against United. The Reds have taken five points from 15 at Anfield this season, compared to 13 on the road from the same number of games.
Carrick won 3-2 in his only meeting against Liverpool as United boss, while predecessor Ruben Amorim won and drew at Anfield. Although Ten Hag lost 7-0 away and 3-0 at home to Liverpool, he won two and drew two of the other four meetings.
Liverpool have won only one of the last seven meetings with United and none of the last three at home. New manager bounce or not, the Reds need to address that shortcoming.
