Mauricio Pochettino looks set to become the next manager of Manchester United – but is he the preferred choice of Red Devils’ supporters?

The United States head coach is reportedly ready to step into the Old Trafford dugout, with current boss Michael Carrick likely to be relieved of his duties in the coming days.

That may not happen until after the ongoing international break, though, with the USMNT due to play a two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final against Haiti.

Regardless, it seems highly likely that Pochettino will be in charge of United for their next fixture – and baptisms of fire don’t come much hotter than an away clash with fierce rivals Liverpool (Sunday 22nd November, 4.30pm GMT).

He is sure to have the full backing of those in attendance at Anfield, though perhaps not every supporter will be delighted by the Argentine tactician’s imminent appointment.

After all, there were plenty of other names in the frame, with our latest Have Your Say poll suggesting one man was a more popular choice for the top job in M16…

Divided opinions

We posed a straightforward question to LiveScore readers in a Have Your Say poll earlier this week: ‘Who should Manchester United hire next?’

Entrants were given eight of the most likely appointments to choose from, ranging from current strong favourite Pochettino to outsiders like Gareth Southgate and Fabian Hürzeler.

A remarkable 91,500 people submitted their thoughts, but no single candidate received the lion’s share of the vote.

Though Hürzeler (6%) and former Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann (9%) were some way behind the rest, just 6% separated the top six options.

Things were even closer when it came to the winner, with only 1% of votes between first and second place.

The case for Pochettino

Manchester United supporters in favour of Pochettino’s pending appointment will highlight his superb spell at Tottenham Hotspur – and parallels with their club’s current situation.

The Red Devils are at a remarkably low ebb, sitting 18th in the Premier League table and without a win in their last eight top-flight outings.

Talk of winning the title within the next few seasons feels rather fanciful, which makes Pochettino’s ability to build a successful team from scratch quite appealing.

Tottenham undoubtedly improved under his leadership, climbing from sixth the year before his appointment to fifth in his first campaign (2014/15) – then up into the Champions League places for each of the next four seasons.

Highlights included a runners-up finish in 2026/17 and reaching the Champions League final in 2018/19. Admittedly, neither of those efforts yielded silverware, but they still represented impressive achievements in the context of Spurs’ recent history.

The 54-year-old also demonstrated an ability to develop young players while in North London, which could be beneficial considering United’s apparently reduced financial muscle in the transfer market.

He has experience of working in challenging environments, too, having managed Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea – two clubs that were perceived as being somewhat turbulent during his stints at Parc des Princes and Stamford Bridge.

There is certainly a compelling case for Pochettino, which is reflected in the Have Your Say poll voting.

The most-likely appointee received 16% of the vote, though that was only enough for second place…

Clamour for Conte

Antonio Conte was the man to edge out Pochettino in our Have Your Say poll, with 17% of respondents choosing the Italian.

In a closely fought contest, the final results were as follows: Conte (17%), Pochettino (16%), Cesc Fabregas (15%), Unai Emery (14%), Southgate (12%), Eddie Howe (11%), Nagelsmann (9%) and Hürzeler (6%).

So why is Conte such a popular choice amongst LiveScore voters?

Well, he is a proven winner, for starters. The Lecce native has lifted trophies at a whole host of clubs, from Premier League and FA Cup triumphs with Chelsea to five Serie A titles and three Supercoppa Italiana wins at Juventus, Inter and Napoli.

With a Serie B title at Bari too, Conte is clearly someone who can construct a winning team whatever the level.

The 56-year-old also tends to deliver silverware immediately – as we saw most recently at Napoli – which only adds to his appeal.

However, it is worth remembering that Conte is a combustible figure who seems to struggle with managing upwards and often departs clubs after rumoured disagreements at boardroom level.

His demanding nature, particularly with regards to transfers, may not have appealed to Manchester United’s owners, who could also perceive him as a short-term fix rather than a long-term solution.

Notably, he has only tended to stay with teams for a maximum of around two years, ever since his three seasons at Juventus ended in July 2014.

And there are question marks over whether the club could meet his likely request for a squad overhaul to make them competitive, having already spent approximately £145 million on new arrivals in the summer.

But regardless of his requirements or lack of longevity at most clubs, Conte typically leaves teams in a better state than when he arrived – and with trophies to show for his time in the dugout.

That goes some way to explaining why he is the winner of our Have Your Say poll, even if the United hierarchy might not be in agreement!

Verdict: LiveScore fans narrowly pick Conte over Pochettino for the Manchester United job

Keep an eye out for more Have Your Say polls on LiveScore throughout 2026/27!