As a Manchester United fan, I have a lot to say about Mauricio Pochettino potentially replacing Michael Carrick in the Old Trafford dugout during the November break.

I feel like my sentiment is at an all-time low after the constant rinse-and-repeat cycle of changing Manchester United managers in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era.

6. Progress must be made with Man Utd, as ‘belief’ is now more important than ever for Red Devils fans

I am not predicting that Mauricio Pochettino will wave a magic wand and everything will change overnight. Since the end of Manchester United’s huge success under Sir Alex Ferguson, I have tempered my expectations to a very low bar in the event that I might be pleasantly surprised by something positive.

With Pochettino, all I care about is seeing some visible progress and a clear sense of direction for where he wants to take the Premier League club. Whether in the short or long term, I feel the 54-year-old Argentine must do something to show that United fans can believe in a Red Devils manager again.

5. Mauricio Pochettino must be ‘brave’ with his Man Utd selection and select on quality rather than names

After Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez’s interviews last month, I want Pochettino to be an incredibly bold manager. I respected Michael Carrick for dropping Bruno Fernandes from Man Utd’s 3-0 Premier League defeat to Bournemouth at Old Trafford after the 32-year-old Red Devils skipper previously criticised his tactics.

However, Carrick always felt like he relied more on the established names when he needed to take more risks, as the likes of Shea Lacey fed on the scraps for United first-team minutes. I would sooner throw my unwavering support behind Pochettino if he took the chance to start Harry Amass rather than doing what Carrick did by playing makeshift options at left-back instead.

4. Man Utd need an improved mentality under Mauricio Pochettino

Man Utd’s 3-2 comeback against Roma in the Champions League at Old Trafford and 4-4 home draw against Aston Villa in the Premier League ahead of the November international break summed up our season. I say that because it felt like a pattern for United under Carrick to simply collapse at the first hurdle many times.

I want Pochettino to show that he is a manager who can rally United back after setbacks. When he was the manager of Tottenham, Pochettino had the best defensive record with Spurs in the Premier League in 2016. According to The Guardian, it was a milestone that Tottenham had not pulled off with their defence since 1951. I want him to replicate a Spurs accomplishment like that at United.

3. Make Man Utd entertaining again, even if the long-term plan is different

During my time growing up, I remember when Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal sides posed a real threat to United’s domination over the Premier League under Ferguson. While the late 1990s and early 2000s saw Arsenal challenge United’s standing in English football, the Red Devils did not collapse overnight.

I remember thinking that even if United did not win the Premier League title, we could still challenge. We could still win matches. I knew Ruud van Nistelrooy was going to score for United in matches. I could see the quality of the squad was more than enough to finish inside the Premier League’s top four. I’m not asking Pochettino to be Ferguson — let’s not be silly now — but I want entertaining football that I can enjoy watching.

2. Mauricio Pochettino must put his foot down with Ineos and have more influence on transfers

Ever since Ruben Amorim’s reign at Old Trafford, I have come to admire the former Man Utd boss for calling out the title that he had at the club. I think the ‘Man Utd head coach’ role instead of ‘manager’ sums up the weakened influence of coaches in the modern-day format of football.

United need Pochettino more than the other way round right now, so I want to see the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss put his foot down as a manager. Pochettino has been a manager at several high-profile clubs, including Paris Saint-Germain. If there is ever going to be long-term sustained success, then I think it must come with the Argentine being deeply integrated into the recruitment department for the transfer selection process.

1. Bring some credibility and dignity back to Old Trafford’s reputation against opposition teams

I remember the days when the ‘fear factor’ moniker was iconic with Old Trafford. United’s home advantage over opposition teams was already an added strength on top of having Ferguson in the dugout. However, I think this season has summed up how bleak Old Trafford has looked.

United have won only three times at home from eight matches across all competitions this season, as the Red Devils have lost three times and picked up two draws. I want Pochettino to make it ‘uncomfortable’ for teams to visit Old Trafford, both from the aura of the iconic venue and the moment the first whistle is blown.

I need to see Pochettino bring an identity and style of football that makes Old Trafford a difficult destination for any team rather than a walk in the park. I don’t expect him to transform it overnight, but I need a foundation to be put in place to show United can bring a new kind of ‘fear factor’ when playing at home.