Manchester United give Pochettino another chance in England

Manchester United have officially appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager. The Argentinian coach succeeds Michael Carrick, whom the club sacked on Thursday after a disappointing start to the season.

Until now, Pochettino had been in charge of the United States national team. A release clause of more than €10 million allows him to take over at Manchester United mid-season. He officially starts on 18 November.

"The Argentinian is known for his high-intensity attacking style of football, his commitment to building strong, close-knit teams and his outstanding record of developing individual players," the club's website says.

Having previously managed Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in England, Pochettino knows the Premier League well. He reached the Champions League final with Tottenham in 2019 after his side beat Ajax at the death in the semi-final.

The United States reached the last 16 of the World Cup under Pochettino, but a painful 1-4 defeat to Belgium ended their hopes of making the quarter-finals.

Now Pochettino must lift Manchester United out of their slump. The fallen giants sit 18th in the Premier League, the main reason the board sacked Carrick.

Carrick guided Manchester United to third place and a Champions League spot last season, fuelling considerable optimism ahead of this campaign. The team have won only once in the league, though, and are also struggling in the Champions League.

After that poor run of results, the club's leadership have decided to bring a breath of fresh air to Old Trafford. Pochettino faces a tough start, with Liverpool awaiting at Anfield after the international break.

Pochettino has previously said he would like to work in England again. The 54-year-old coach has also worked at Espanyol and Paris Saint-Germain.

On 25 November, Pochettino faces his first Champions League group-stage test. Struggling Manchester United visit Sporting Portugal that day.