Pochettino to Man Utd moved a step closer on Wednesday afternoon, and the club still hasn’t said a word. Sky Sports reports that United have reached an agreement in principle with the USA coach to take over if Michael Carrick is sacked, with Carrick himself taking training at Carrington while it was struck.

Our view: if the decision has effectively been made, put Carrick out of this limbo today. He’s been left a bystander at his own job, and the longer it runs the less time a new coach has before Anfield.

Sky and The Athletic: where the deal stands

Sky says details are still being finalised with Pochettino’s camp and that talks with US Soccer are set to speed up over when he can be released. The £7m release clause isn’t thought to be a problem for United, and Sky adds that a change of head coach “remains likely”.

David Ornstein goes a step further on the process. Football365, relaying The Athletic’s report, says United are “finalising a deal” for Pochettino, who is the “chosen candidate”, but only if the club makes the “ultimate decision” to relieve Carrick. Personal terms are being ironed out and no issues are expected. United have yet to contact US Soccer, and further compensation would be needed to bring his staff.

The fee gap is small, and Football365 quotes Ben Jacobs putting the clause at around $10m with a further $2m for backroom staff, which fits BBC Sport’s figure rather than Sky’s. Nobody disputes the direction of travel.

The Haiti problem

This is the awkward bit. Sky says that as things stand Pochettino is due to take charge of the USA against Haiti on Saturday and next Wednesday, and that a solution on timing still has to be found. BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel says US Soccer have a contingency plan for losing him, including a succession plan, and that he may not take charge of those games.

Liverpool away is Sunday 22 November, 16:30. If he coached the second leg he’d be flying straight back to prepare for Anfield, then Sporting in the Champions League on Wednesday 25 November, then Brentford at home on Saturday 28 November. Our reading is that United will want him in the building well before the Haiti return, and US Soccer have little reason to say no with a plan ready.

Carrick’s position

Nothing is official. Sky says Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox will make their recommendation to Jim Ratcliffe at a Monaco summit, with Ratcliffe making the final call, and that United are in the relegation zone after their worst start to a league season for 40 years. BBC Sport has them 18th with one win in ten league games, the lowest they have been at this stage of a top-flight season since 1986-87, when they were 20th. He was given a stay of execution after the 3-0 home defeat to Bournemouth last month, per Sky.

It’s worth saying plainly that Carrick has done nothing wrong in the way this is being handled. BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty called the drawn-out process “ham-fisted” in his Wednesday article, and he’s right. The club’s statement, whenever it comes, is the next thing to watch.