Southampton have sacked manager Mauricio Pellegrino with the club languishing a point and a place above the relegation zone.
Pellegrino has overseen a torrid season at St Mary’s and the club were defeated 3-0 by fellow relegation contenders Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday.
Southampton say they ‘will look to appoint a new management team as soon as possible with the search for a replacement already underway.’
Southampton have sacked manager Mauricio Pellegrino after Saturday’s loss at Newcastle
Assistant Manager Carlos Compagnucci and Assistant First Team Coach Xavier Tamarit have followed Pellegrino out the exit door.
Pellegrino arrived on the south coast from Alaves last summer and endured a troublesome start to life at Southampton when star man Virgil van Dijk handed in a transfer request to try and force through a move to Liverpool.
Saints held firm and kept the defender, who was initially banished from first-team training before rejoining the squad after the summer transfer window closed. But he was duly sold to Liverpool in January for £75m.
Pellegrino was brought in to oversee an attacking style of play at Southampton. Predecessor Claude Puel was axed after only a season following a campaign where he led Southampton to an 8th placed finish and the League Cup final.
But the Spaniard’s conservative style of play has been a contributing factor to their slide towards the drop.
Their next Premier League game is away to West Ham on March 31, before facing Arsenal and Chelsea.