FORMER Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino has been backed to get the Manchester United job.

United parted company with Jose Mourinho yesterday after a woeful start to the season which was typified in the 3-1 defeat to Liverpool on Sunday.

And Gary Neville reckons Pochettino’s track record of developing youth players at Saints, and with his current Tottenham side, makes him the ideal candidate.

Neville said: “I said last season that the next manager of Manchester United should be Mauricio Pochettino.

“When I look at the values of Manchester United, you look at Mauricio Pochettino’s belief in young players at Southampton and with Tottenham. 

“You look at his performance levels and the style of play, the way in which he carries himself at all times, publicly and in private.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to spend two or three days at Tottenham’s training ground and to me he just feels like the most ideal candidate.”

During his time at Saints, Pochettino helped develop a catalogue of players which includes the likes of Luke Shaw, Calum Chambers, James Ward-Prowse and Nathaniel Clyne.

He has also taken Spurs to new heights since arriving at White Hart Lane, and Neville believes the Argentinian fits into the ethos of United.

Neville added: “Manchester United have tried managers that have won European Cups, they’ve tried managers that have won multiple leagues, they’ve tried managers that have, to be fair, had that solid grounding in the Premier League.

“They need someone who meets the three key principles of that football club: the promotion of youth, entertaining football and to win football matches.

“People suggest he hasn’t won a trophy yet at Tottenham but with a net spend of minus £29million or something over the last four years, I’m not sure he could have done more.

“He is the outstanding candidate for the job.”