Ralph Hasenhuttl has been sacked as manager of Southampton after nearly four years in charge at the club.
Hasenhuttl leaves the role a day after the Saints lost 4-1 to Newcastle on Sunday.
The result left them in the relegation zone after six losses in nine top-flight games.
The Austrian was the Premier League’s fourth-longest serving manager, having taken over at St Mary’s in December 2018.
During his spell at the club Southampton suffered two 9-0 defeats in the space of 16 months as they lost to Leicester at home in October 2019. And they were then thumped by the same scoreline at Manchester United in February 2021.
But Hasenhuttl managed to preserve Saints’ Premier League status by guiding them to 16th in his first season in charge. It was followed by an 11th-placed finish in 2019/20, with 15th-placed finishes in his following two campaigns.
Newcastle thrash Southampton 4-1
Newcastle defeated Southampton 4-1 at St Mary’s thanks to a goal from Miguel Almiron, his eighth in as many appearances.
The 35th minute saw the Paraguayan international continue his recent hot streak in front of goal, breaking the tie.
In the 58th minute, Callum Wilson’s replacement Chris Wood increased the visitors’ lead before Joe Willock promptly made it 3-0.
The hosts’ late comeback goal from Romain Perraud was short-lived. However, as Bruno Guimaraes scored the fourth goal for the Magpies a minute later.
When the Magpies pushed the ball to Jacob Murphy on the far left, Saints lost possession early due to a careless mistake in midfield in front of England manager Gareth Southgate. However, Gavin Bazunu was able to easily stop Murphy’s cross-cum-shot.
Then the visitors moved the ball to Sean Longstaff, who crossed it into the area, causing Bazunu to dive needlessly as the ball flew across the goal.
Perraud had the first clear-cut opportunity for Southampton, but his low shot missed the near post.
Che Adams stopped Sven Botman from nodding in the opening goal after Newcastle forced a corner into the box. Soon after, they avoided further danger as a result of a Newcastle near-miss and the offside flag.
After 34 minutes, Ralph Hasenhuttl was obliged to make his first substitution. As Romeo Lavia, who had returned from a hamstring injury, took Juan Larios’ place.
Almiron weaved his way into the area, avoided a challenge from Ainsley Maitland-Niles. And sidefooted past Bazunu into the bottom left corner, making things even worse for the hosts.
In the final four minutes of the first half, Stuart Armstrong’s cross should have found Mohamed Elyounoussi for Saints, but he inexplicably missed the target from six yards.
More misery
After the break, James Ward-Prowse fired an early free kick straight at Nick Pope, and Elyounoussi started the second half much the same way the first did by shooting another good opportunity over the crossbar.
Soon, the weather started to mimic the hosts’ afternoon as Willock added to the Magpies’ lead with a low shot to the same area four minutes later after substitute Wood seized on a pass, turned, and sent the ball into the bottom corner under the growing downpour.
Pope had no chance as he calmly blasted a shot into the top right corner after Perraud prevented the visitors from keeping a clean sheet.
Southampton‘s joy, however, was short-lived as Guimaraes soon retaliated by looping Newcastle’s fourth goal past a diving Bazunu.
