Five Ways Mauricio Pochettino Can Revolutionise Manchester United

Manchester United have spent the best part of a decade circling Mauricio Pochettino. He was the man Sir Alex Ferguson admired and was reportedly interviewed in 2022 before the club went with Erik ten Hag.

Now, with United in the relegation zone, Michael Carrick sacked, and the club on its third head coach in a year, the Argentine will now walk through the door at Old Trafford in a bid to turn around the Red Devils’ season, with a start date of November 18.

With him, Pochettino brings with him a reputation built on relentless running, ruthless standards and turning young prospects into fully developed internationals. He also brings a philosophy unlike anything United have tried since Ferguson. So what will actually change? Here’s how Pochettino can revolutionise Manchester United.

The Tactical Change

Whilst a Pochettino-style United may appear, on the surface, as all too similar to Carrick’s setup, the key difference lies in the pressing and build-up style, as opposed to the formation. Ever since taking over from Ruben Amorim in January 2026, Michael Carrick had often opted for the 4-2-3-1 formation he used in more than 90% of his league games during his time at Middlesbrough. Pochettino also uses the 4-2-3-1, and with good reason.

The system relies on a strong double-pivot in the midfield, who act as the lynchpins of the high-pressing, front-footed setup. A more defensive central midfielder can also allow attacking fullbacks the license to join the attack and create numerical overloads in advanced areas of the pitch, creating a greater number of chances and allowing for a rapid counter-press should they turn the ball over. According to the Telegraph, speaking with a source close to the 56-year-old, it is believed that the likes of Luke Shaw, who played under Pochettino during his time at Southampton, and Patrick Dorgu, are seen as a good fit for his style of play.

Potential Man Utd XI under Pochettino?

READ MORE: Pochettino’s Dream Man Utd XI | Lineup built by GIVEMESPORT Lineup Builder.

United’s Running Problem

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Manchester United’s lack of high-intensity running under Carrick this season has often been a stick used to beat the players, and it’s a fair criticism. GeniusIQ data shown by Sky Sports ranked United 20th in the league for distance covered at high intensity, time at high intensity, total sprints and time spent sprinting. The Premier League’s own statistics had United second from bottom for distance covered.

Following a 1-1 draw against Fulham early this season in which United’s players only covered 110.2km, the second-lowest total that weekend, Matheus Cunha told Sky Sports that “they [Fulham] put in more energy than us. We cannot accept this.” Gary Neville, who won eight Premier League titles with Manchester United, branded his former side “absolutely pathetic,” adding that he’s “never seen a Man United team walk out of possession as much as that.”

Conversely, Pochettino places heavy emphasis on intensity and running. In 2013/14, Tottenham sat 20th for distance covered each game, with a total of just 106.9km. That same season, it was Pochettino’s Southampton who topped the running stats, covering 117km per game. In his first season at Spurs, they covered 7km more per game than the year before, before ranking second for distance covered for four seasons in a row under him.

Indeed, at the 2026 World Cup, Pochettino’s United States team were in the top 10 for number of sprints, high-speed running and distance covered during the tournament, despite exiting at the Round of 16 after just five games. Their average distance covered per game (118,979m) was comparable to eventual champions Spain (118,446m) and better than England’s (114,858m). To further illustrate Pochettino’s emphasis on intensity, the USMNT averaged 44 forced turnovers per game during the tournament, which was better than the likes of Argentina (43.8), France (41.25) and England (34.25).

This particular aspect of his playing style stems from his tutorship under former Leeds United and Newell’s Old Boys manager, Marcelo Bielsa. His high-pressing, high-intensity style of play saw Leeds finish in the top half of the table on their return to the Premier League in 2020/21. Pochettino won the Argentine title in 1991 under Bielsa during his time at Newell’s and described him to Sky Sports as “a very special man” and one of his “footballing fathers”. When speaking about the physical requirements of playing under Bielsa, he stated that it was “so tough because he is a very demanding coach.”

Focus on Discipline

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One of Pochettino’s most amusing stories is of when he went to Luke Shaw’s house to ensure he was eating as he should. Appearing on The Overlap, Gary Neville questioned him about the moment, asking: “Was it true that when you was at Southampton, like with Luke Shaw, that you used to go round to his house because he was eating pizzas, and you used to make the players eat the right foods all the time?”

“Yes. It’s like another thing that makes us proud,” the Argentine admitted. But whilst many laughed at the anecdote, it speaks volumes to Pochettino’s character and footballing outlook. After years of controversy around Manchester United, including Lisandro Martinez’s heavy criticism of the Manchester United board, the Argentine will be keen to make a lasting impact on the Man United squad, ensuring they make the correct decisions on and off the pitch.

Player Development

Reuters/Toby Melville

Whilst Tim Sherwood may have given Harry Kane his Spurs debut, it was Pochettino who set him on the path to becoming the 2026 Ballon d’Or winner. After being awarded regular starts by the Argentine, Kane won back-to-back golden boots in 2016 and 2017. He also nurtured the partnership between Kane and Son Heung-Min which helped Spurs finish second in the 2016/17 season.

He also developed another English prospect in Cole Palmer, who scored 22 league goals in his first season, whilst more than a dozen Espanyol academy players made their senior debut during his time in charge. With the young talents of Kobbie Mainoo, Harry Amass and Shea Lacey, given enough time, Pochettino could help turn some of United’s emerging prospects into fully fledged international superstars.

‘Energia Universal’

Pochettino’s philosophy of ‘energía universal‘ (translated as ‘universal energy’) relates to the idea that everything is connected, nothing happens by chance and that, if you put enough time and energy into something, you will be rewarded. This mantra is summed up perfectly by Spurs’ incredible late comeback against Ajax that took them to the 2019 Champions League final.

At a club that has been consumed by a disconnect between the fans, players and the board over recent years, the Argentine’s personal belief could provide a breath of fresh air into an otherwise toxic and stagnant Manchester United.