The manager Man United players were hoping for instead of Mauricio Pochettino

Manchester United players reportedly now expect Mauricio Pochettino to be named the club’s next manager, though some of them had hoped for Unai Emery instead.

The Red Devils have been linked with a whole host of managers in recent weeks after Michael Carrick’s struggles at Old Trafford this season.

With just one Premier League win so far, Man Utd find themselves in the relegation zone following a major downturn in form since Carrick took over as manager permanently, despite him having impressed greatly as interim manager last term.

According to talkSPORT, it now looks like Pochettino is expected to replace Carrick, but Emery would have been a popular choice in this squad.

Pochettino and Emery both have their qualities, but it perhaps seems like a bit of a gamble to go for the Argentine at this moment in time.

The 54-year-old is currently managing the US Men’s National Team, and this follows unconvincing spells in charge of Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain.

Although Pochettino did tremendous work at Tottenham, that was a while ago now, and he hasn’t really lived up to those high standards since then.

Emery, by contrast, is doing hugely impressive work as Aston Villa manager, and perhaps seems more like a coach on an upward trajectory with the proven qualities to succeed in the modern day Premier League.

Having said that, Emery had his issues during his time as Arsenal manager, and perhaps the expectations that would come with the United job would see him struggle again.

The Spanish tactician also has a lot of control at Villa Park and a squad built in his image, whereas Pochettino has previously worked under difficult conditions and still been able to thrive at Spurs.