- Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as the new head coach of Manchester United following the sacking of Michael Carrick, with his opening fixture scheduled against Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday 22 November.
- Pochettino inherits a side currently sitting 18th in the Premier League table after securing just one victory from their opening 10 matches and conceding 19 goals.
- The manager faces key tactical decisions ahead of his debut, considering whether to stick with a familiar 4-2-3-1 setup or adopt a defensive 3-4-3 formation that retreats into five at the back off the ball, to counter Liverpool's attacking threat.
- Pochettino must resolve personnel selection dilemmas, balancing youth and experience in defence while attempting to maximise the impact of key attackers such as Bruno Fernandes, Matheus Cunha, and Bryan Mbeumo.
- Although United enter the match as underdogs against Andoni Iraola's side, a strong performance at Anfield is seen as vital to kickstarting their season and moving clear of the relegation zone.
IN FULL
