Manchester United looks to be closing in on the appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as manager, and legendary Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is in no doubt about what the Reds' rival will be getting

Manchester United will get a “sensational” manager if it does end up appointing Mauricio Pochettino as expected.

That’s according to Jurgen Klopp, who has made no secret of his admiration for the former Tottenham and Chelsea boss over the years, having regularly battled with him during his time in charge of Liverpool.

United looks to finally be lining up a replacement for Michael Carrick after weeks of speculation over his future, although there is still no decision over whether he will be fired after just one win in 10 league games this season. Nevertheless, Liverpool’s rival looks to have landed upon its next manager.

According to The Athletic, a deal is being finalized for Pochettino to become the club’s next head coach. United is claimed to have spent Tuesday going through personal terms, and no issues are expected on that front, although it does face paying a hefty fee to release him from job with the USMNT.

Should the deal get across the line, Pochettino’s first game in charge of United could come against Liverpool at Anfield on November 22. There is plenty riding on that game for the visitors, who sit in the Premier League’s relegation zone, having taken just eight points so far this season.

Pochettino therefore has a big job on his hands, although if there’s anyone confident he could turn things around at Old Trafford, it would be Klopp.

The legendary Liverpool boss has been regularly full of praise for his opposite number over the years, including during the summer’s World Cup as Pochettino led the USA to the last-16.

"A sensational coach with Mauricio," Klopp said while working as a pundit at the tournament. "Yeah, you have a good team."

It was during Pochettino’s time in charge of Tottenham when Klopp regularly came up against the Argentine, including the 2019 Champions League final when Liverpool won its sixth European crown.

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Klopp though was full of admiration for the job Pochettino did in north London, especially after not receiving much backing following that Champions League final defeat.

"In England, the country of transfers, if you don't do transfers then that's a really big headline," Klopp said in 2019.

"I'm sure Mauricio Pochettino would have loved to have added but the players, but the first team of Tottenham is difficult to improve.

"From that point of view, if you have the right team together, you don't have to be too busy in the transfer market. But the players you have you can improve as well. Maybe they are better than the boy you wanted to buy.”

Klopp went on to add: "There's so many positive things you could say about Mauricio Pochettino - the whole club looks settled."

And Klopp didn’t miss the chance to take a potshot at Chelsea when Pochettino was fired by the club in 2024.

“We should be really happy that we have these owners and not guys who bought London clubs and other stuff," said Klopp during a farewell evening marking his departure from Anfield.

"I wouldn’t have survived a year at Liverpool (with them in charge). ‘Great development but not good enough, sack him!’ A year later: ‘Sack him’. Then finally they play football where people think they might be back and they sack the manager anyway!”