MANCHESTER, Nov. 12 -- between the club Sir Alex Ferguson left behind and the struggling team a new manager would inherit.

United have reached a verbal agreement in principle with Pochettino, Sky Sports reported, but that is not the same as a completed appointment. Michael Carrick remained officially in charge in the latest verified coverage and was filmed arriving at the training ground on Thursday morning.

The timing gives an old connection a sharper edge. Pochettino has long appealed to United for his work with young players and his demanding football. This opportunity, if completed, would start with a team in the relegation zone and a league trip to Liverpool on November 22, not with the patient conditions usually associated with a ...