Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as the leading contender to replace Michael Carrick at Manchester United, and fans are subsequently starting to speculate about how the former Tottenham Hotspur boss might set his team up at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have endured a dismal start to the new campaign, winning just three of their first 15 matches across all competitions. They head into the November international break in an unprecedented position — in the relegation zone after ten Premier League games.

Carrick has been walking on a tightrope for several weeks now, and Sunday evening's chaotic encounter with Aston Villa has seemingly proved to be the breaking point for the United hierarchy. Reports emerged on Monday evening suggesting that the north-west club plan to relieve their former midfielder of his duties during this two-week interlude in the season.

Pochettino has emerged as a surprise frontrunner for the job, with United said to be weighing up whether to activate the United States Men's National Team's $10 million release clause (via Ben Jacobs).

Should they do so, and should the Argentine accept the proposal on the table, it'll be his first managerial role at club level since he parted ways with Chelsea at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Mauricio Pochettino's 'Preferred' Man Utd XI

Inheriting a mess with the USMNT, Pochettino slowly rebuilt the feeling around the nation's set-up, before unleashing a highly competent and respectable outfit at the World Cup in the summer.

The scale of the task at United is a lot bigger, but the premise is the same. Rebuild and revitalise a broken and fractured team, culturally and tactically.

Excited United supporters are unsurprisingly focusing on the latter aspect of Pochettino's potential job, amid reports that he is now the leading candidate. Preferred starting elevens are already circulating in Red Devils circles, with fans theorising what their team might look like under the ex-Paris Saint-Germain coach.

United content creator, AliceTalksFooty, published a mock-up of what she believes Pochettino could opt for. Several big names miss out, including the ever-present Harry Maguire and new signing Youri Tielemans.

Senne Lammens is predicted to retain his position in between the sticks, despite his dubious recent form. Like the Belgian, Diogo Dalot's performances in recent weeks have been heavily scrutinised, but the Portuguese is still tipped to start at right-back, with Patrick Dorgu holding down the other flank as the other 'athletic' full-back.

Interestingly, Matthijs de Ligt is favoured over Maguire in this concept eleven. This is despite the Dutchman hardly featuring over the last 12 months — he hasn't played a minute of Premier League football since November 2025 due to a back injury.

Elsewhere, Tielemans' potential absence in the middle of the park will come as a surprise to many. United forked out £35 million for the 29-year-old in the summer, yet the blend of attributes in midfield with himself and Bruno Fernandes doesn't feel right.

Many feel that having both start leaves United vulnerable defensively, particularly in transition, and this has certainly been reflected in the Red Devils' dire defensive record thus far this season.

Instead, Kobbie Mainoo and Carlos Baleba are favoured, providing Fernandes with a platform to express himself further up the pitch.

While many believe Marcus Rashford could be a favourite of Pochettino's, Matheus Cunha is still tipped to hold down the left-wing spot. Benjamin Sesko, who is currently struggling with an injury, is backed to be the 2019 Champions League finalists' first-choice striker, ousting Bryan Mbeumo out to the right wing.

It remains to be seen whether this set-up resembles what a Pochettino United team might actually look like, although the core feeling that he might ruffle a few feathers in a divided dressing room with several big egos is almost certainly accurate.