EPL: ‘I’ll be surprised’ – Gary Lineker predicts months Pochettino will stay at Man United

Former England international Gary Lineker has expressed doubts about Mauricio Pochettino‘s long-term future at Manchester United, saying he would be “surprised” if the Argentine manager remains at Old Trafford beyond 18 months.

Pochettino has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract to replace Michael Carrick as United’s manager. The former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea boss is expected to begin his tenure with an away fixture against Liverpool on Sunday, November 22.

The Argentine will officially take charge after completing his final two matches as head coach of the United States national team. He faces the immediate challenge of rebuilding confidence and improving Manchester United’s disappointing performances.

The Red Devils are currently 18th in the Premier League table and have gone eight consecutive league matches without a victory, with their poor run beginning in late August.

Speaking on The Rest Is Football podcast, Lineker suggested that Pochettino could make a reasonable start at the club but might eventually become frustrated by the challenges surrounding Manchester United.

He said: “I can see Pochettino going in there, and I think they’ll probably make a reasonable start and do okay for a while. For Pochettino, Manchester United is a big club, big by name. He’ll go there, then become disappointed by how things unfold. I’d be surprised if he’s still there in 18 months.”

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Lineker also questioned Manchester United’s management structure, arguing that successive coaches have been blamed for problems he believes originate higher up at the club. He said: “Because, again and again, it’s rinse and repeat: the coach is always made the scapegoat, and you can see that. I think the real problems lie above the coach.” He added that several good managers had worked at Old Trafford over the past decade, asking: “How many is that—12 coaches since Alex Ferguson?”