NO QUICK FIXES! 5 biggest issues Pochettino will immediately face arriving at Man Utd to begin dream job

"We are trying to make our dreams come true."

Mauricio Pochettino burst into tears in his first interview since it was confirmed he would be swapping the United States for Manchester United.

"I never said I wanted to go back but they know there aren't too many opportunities that happen in your career like Manchester United," he said while explaining his decision. "When it arrives, it's difficult to turn down."

Pochettino has always wanted the United job. He'd been interviewed three times for it previously. Now he's finally got his wish, but the mess the club finds itself in following the sacking of Michael Carrick means it will be anything but straightforward.

Here Mirror Football assesses the most pressing concerns facing the Argentine before he arrives in Manchester next week, with just a few days to prepare for a trip to Anfield.

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Pochettino likely still has that new job glow. He presumably has a high opinion of the people who believe he's the man for the job. But that perception will soon change because Manchester United are a shambles behind the scenes.

Director of football Jason Wilcox and Omar Berrada have come under intense scrutiny from supporters recently, having presided over some shambolic decision-making. But they are not the only culprits.

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Sir Jim Ratcliffe is the minority shareholder, but it is he who has the final say on decisions after the Glazer family ceded control of sporting operations to INEOS when they took over two and a half years ago. That has created a muddied picture behind the scenes, with reports of friction surfacing amid their dreadful start to the season.

Pochettino is currently viewed in a very good light by his employers, but in order to be a long-term success at Old Trafford, he will need more than that: a football manager, a politician and a diplomat all rolled into one.

As is often the case towards the end of a manager's tenure, the dressing room becomes leakier. But we didn't even need discreet briefings to learn the feelings of some key players, with Bruno Fernandes and Lisandro Martinez letting us know in public interviews.

Ex-United boss Erik ten Hag recently said there was a "toxic culture" inside the dressing room during his spell in charge due to players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Casemiro and Raphael Varane having too much influence. It is easy to see comparisons with the current crop.

Another issue is that, despite their miserable results, Carrick left with plenty of lingering goodwill from the players. His "casual" approach - as Roy Keane put is last weekend - may have been problematic, but it also made him popular among the players. Pochettino now has to win them over.

United are 18th in the Premier League with eight points from 10 games, so there are obviously multiple issues on the pitch. But the most glaring is undoubtedly in defence, where they have been embarrassing at times.

One clean sheet all season, which came against Sabah. Thirty goals conceded in all competitions - the joint most of any side in Europe's top five leagues along with Crystal Palace and Sassuolo.

Pochettino has to start from the back. He is known for stressing the need for top-level fitness in order to implement his high-intensity pressing game. But he needs to sort out the basics first and foremost.

For a team boasting experienced players like Martinez, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw, there has been a distinct lack of leadership. Senne Lammens isn't a vocal presence in goal. The expensively-assembled new-look midfield isn't protecting the back four. And, as the inexplicable errors by Leny Yoro and Diogo Dalot against Aston Villa showed, confidence is at rock-bottom.

United have consistently been out-run by their opponents this season, with the issue coming into focus around their 1-1 draw with Fulham in September. Gary Neville branded the players an "absolute disgrace" for walking around. "I've never seen such a lack of effort," he raged on Sky Sports post-match.

Effort is the cornerstone of most teams - and is particularly important to Pochettino. Carrick, Ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Jose Mourinho and Ruben Amorim all had to fight back against a perception of players coasting. And Pochettino will be no different.

Only Liverpool average less than United's average total of 102.4km per match in the Premier League this season. You suspect Pochettino will have something to say about that.

Pochettino will be fully aware of the task facing him - and the players at his disposal. United's failure to sign a left-back or striker in the summer transfer window - in which they focused instead on midfield - has left them short of depth.

Benjamin Sesko's injury has forced Bryan Mbeumo to play up front, while Shaw's absence has seen Dalot fill in badly at left-back. Marcus Rashford, Carlos Baleba, Manuel Ugarte and Maguire are all also currently listed as injured.

The January transfer window can't come soon enough, but even then Pochettino is very unlikely to be backed with millions. The loan market is expected to be targeted, meaning expectations have already been tempered.