CORNERFLICK
Mauricio Pochettino is preparing to begin his tenure as Manchester United manager, but his record of slow starts in the Premier League offers little encouragement. However, one remarkable statistic from the Argentine's managerial career could give Red Devils supporters reason for optimism ahead of a daunting trip to Liverpool.
According to Corner Flick, Mauricio Pochettino is preparing for one of the toughest possible starts to his Manchester United career. The 54-year-old Argentine is set to take charge of his first match as Red Devils manager against fierce rivals Liverpool at Anfield.
Facing United's historic rivals away from home in his managerial debut presents a formidable challenge. Pochettino has little time to prepare his players for a fixture whose outcome could shape the early atmosphere surrounding his appointment.
British newspaper The Sun has examined Pochettino's managerial record in English football, highlighting his tendency to endure difficult starts at Premier League clubs.
Having previously managed Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, Pochettino is now preparing for his fourth managerial spell in England's top flight.
Nevertheless, one intriguing record from his career could offer United supporters a glimmer of hope ahead of the highly anticipated clash with Liverpool. Just 11 Wins in 30 Matches: Pochettino's History of Slow Starts A closer examination of Pochettino's previous Premier League appointments suggests that the Argentine typically requires time to establish his methods and deliver consistent results.
Across his first 10 league matches with Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea, Pochettino recorded just 11 victories in 30 games, alongside eight draws and 11 defeats.
That represents a win percentage of only 36.7%.
His strongest start came at Southampton, where he took charge in January 2013 and collected 15 points from his opening 10 Premier League fixtures.
Even then, the Saints managed just one victory in their first seven matches under Pochettino, although that win came against Manchester City.
Three consecutive victories over Liverpool, Chelsea and Reading subsequently helped turn Southampton's fortunes around, with Pochettino eventually guiding the club to Premier League survival.
His early days at Tottenham followed a similarly inconsistent pattern.
Spurs opened the 2014 campaign with victories over West Ham United and Queens Park Rangers, but managed only two further wins in their next eight league matches.
After 10 games, Pochettino's Tottenham had accumulated 14 points from four wins, two draws and four defeats.
Things proved even more challenging at Chelsea.
Following his appointment in 2023, Pochettino managed just one victory in his first six Premier League matches.
By the end of his opening 10 league fixtures, Chelsea had registered three wins, three draws and four defeats, leaving them with only 12 points. An Unusual Record: Pochettino Has Never Lost His First Match Despite his history of difficult starts, Pochettino possesses one remarkable managerial record that could provide encouragement ahead of his first Manchester United appearance at Anfield.
The Argentine has never lost his opening match in charge of any club or national team he has managed.
That unbeaten sequence began in 2009, when Pochettino made his managerial debut with Espanyol.
His first match came against Barcelona in the Copa del Rey, ending in a goalless draw.
Four years later, his Southampton debut also finished 0-0, this time against Everton.
Pochettino subsequently enjoyed a winning start at Tottenham, securing a 1-0 victory over West Ham United in his first competitive match.
His Paris Saint-Germain tenure began with a 1-1 draw against Saint-Étienne.
In 2023, his first match as Chelsea manager was, coincidentally, against Liverpool. That encounter ended in a 1-1 draw.
More recently, Pochettino began his spell as United States men's national team head coach with a 2-0 victory over Panama.
His record across those six managerial debuts therefore stands at two victories and four draws.
It is an unbeaten run that will face perhaps its sternest examination yet when Manchester United travel to Anfield. Anfield: A Stadium Pochettino Has Conquered Only Once While Pochettino's record in managerial debuts is impressive, his history at Anfield tells a very different story.
The Argentine has managed just one victory in eight previous visits to Liverpool's home ground.
That solitary success came in September 2013, during his time at Southampton.
On that occasion, a second-half goal from Dejan Lovren secured a memorable 1-0 victory over Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool.
Interestingly, current Manchester United defender Luke Shaw was part of Pochettino's Southampton side that afternoon.
Then just 18 years old, Shaw started the match and helped Southampton keep a clean sheet against a Liverpool attack featuring Daniel Sturridge.
The young left-back joined Manchester United the following summer, while Pochettino departed Southampton to take charge of Tottenham.
More than a decade later, the pair are set to reunite at Old Trafford.
However, Pochettino has failed to win on any of his seven subsequent visits to Anfield.
His most recent appearance at the stadium came in January 2024, when his Chelsea side suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against Liverpool.
That result underlines the scale of the challenge awaiting him as he prepares to lead Manchester United into one of English football's fiercest rivalries. Manchester United in the Relegation Zone: Pochettino's Toughest Challenge Yet Pochettino arrives at Manchester United with the club facing a serious crisis.
The Red Devils have managed just one victory from their opening 10 Premier League matches, collecting eight points and finding themselves in the relegation zone.
Michael Carrick was dismissed following the team's disastrous start to the campaign, leaving United's hierarchy hoping that Pochettino can inspire an immediate turnaround.
According to the announced schedule, the Argentine will officially begin work at Old Trafford on November 18, after completing his commitments with the United States national team.
His first match in charge is scheduled for Sunday, November 22, when Manchester United face Liverpool at Anfield.
The appointment therefore presents Pochettino with two contrasting statistical narratives.
On one hand, his previous Premier League spells suggest that immediate success has rarely come easily, with his teams often requiring several weeks to find consistency.
On the other, his unbeaten record in managerial debuts offers a potentially encouraging omen.
To preserve that remarkable streak, Pochettino must avoid defeat at a stadium where he has celebrated victory only once in his managerial career.
For a Manchester United side desperate to escape the relegation zone, the trip to Anfield represents far more than a high-profile managerial debut. It could provide the first indication of whether Pochettino can revive the fortunes of one of English football's most troubled giants.