The Sun: Pochettino's habit of slow starts to be tested in Man Utd debut

A report from The Sun suggests that if Pochettino's previous Premier League managerial starts are any indication, the Argentine coach might have a tough start at Manchester United. However, Pochettino has an astonishing record that might give Red Devils fans hope when he leads his team to Anfield next weekend.

Pochettino, 54, has been confirmed as the new manager at Old Trafford. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss will take over after the United States' upcoming match against Haiti, with his first task being an away game against Liverpool on November 22.

However, Manchester United fans are eager for an immediate turnaround, but Pochettino's past record suggests that patience may be necessary.

In his first 10 Premier League matches at Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Chelsea respectively, the Argentine only managed a total of 11 wins out of 30 games, meaning his win rate for the first 10 league games at a single Premier League club is only 36.7%, with 8 draws and 11 losses.

Pochettino's best start in the Premier League was at Southampton. After replacing Nigel Adkins in January 2013, he earned 15 points in his first 10 league matches. Even so, it was far from smooth sailing, as Pochettino won only one of his first seven games, a stunning 3-1 victory over Manchester City. He then gradually found stability, with Southampton beating Liverpool, Chelsea, and Reading in succession. These three consecutive wins helped the team slowly escape the relegation zone, and Pochettino eventually led them to safety, followed by an impressive 8th-place finish in the next season.

When he arrived at Tottenham Hotspur in 2014, it was initially believed that the team would transform more quickly. Tottenham Hotspur under Pochettino started the Premier League with two consecutive wins, first beating West Ham United 1-0, followed by a 4-0 thrashing of Queens Park Rangers. However, this early momentum quickly disappeared. Tottenham Hotspur then won only two of their next eight Premier League games, losing to Liverpool, West Brom, Manchester City, and Newcastle United. They collected 14 points in their first 10 matches, with a record of 4 wins, 2 draws, and 4 losses.

When Pochettino returned to London to manage Chelsea in 2023, the situation was even more challenging.

Chelsea won only one of their first six Premier League games, with the sole victory coming against promoted side Luton. Consecutive wins against Fulham and Burnley offered a glimmer of hope, but Chelsea only managed 3 wins, 3 draws, and 4 losses after the first 10 league rounds. This meant Pochettino collected only 12 points out of a possible 30, with a win rate of just 30%.

For Manchester United fans hoping their team quickly escapes the relegation zone, this is clearly not the immediate effect they wish to see.

Good news before the Liverpool match

However, Pochettino has never lost his first official match in charge of a new team. After taking over Espanyol in January 2009, he began his managerial career with a 0-0 draw against Barcelona in his first Copa del Rey match. Four years later, his Southampton debut also ended in a 0-0 draw against Everton. His first match in charge of Tottenham Hotspur was a 1-0 away victory over West Ham United; after taking over Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, he drew 1-1 with Saint-Étienne in his debut.

In August 2023, his first match as Chelsea manager also ended in a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.

In October 2024, his first match as United States manager resulted in a 2-0 victory over Panama.

Including these six managerial debuts, he has a record of 2 wins and 4 draws, and he clearly hopes to extend this record at Anfield.

Manchester United's next opponent also has another intriguing connection.

Pochettino has visited Anfield as a manager eight times previously, winning only once, with that sole victory coming during his time at Southampton.

In September 2013, Southampton pulled off a surprise 1-0 victory over Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool with a second-half header from Dejan Lovren. However, since then, the Argentine has failed to win in seven subsequent visits to Anfield, including his most recent, a 4-1 away loss with Chelsea in January 2024.