Monday, November 7, 2022 at 11:55 am• Paul Jeursen • Last update: 11:59

Southampton has fired trainer Ralph Hasenhüttl, the club announced Monday morning. The Austrian was at the helm of the club for almost four years. He is the fifth Premier League coach to receive his congé this season. Scott Parker (Bournemouth), Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea), Bruno Lage (Wolves) and Steven Gerrard (Aston Villa) preceded him. The 1-4 home loss against Newcastle United was the proverbial straw for the club management.

The South English club is currently in eighteenth place in the Premier League due to the latter loss, a position that means relegation at the end of the season. Only Wolves and Nottingham Forest do worse. In the last nine games, they have lost six times and Southampton have thus only achieved 12 points from 14 games.

Hasenhüttl was appointed to . in December 2018 and was the fourth longest serving manager in the Premier League. Southampton has announced on the club’s website that the coach has been fired with immediate effect. His assistant Richard Kitzbichler also has to leave. Hasenhüttl saved the club from relegation from the Premier League in his first season by finishing in 16th place. This was followed by an eleventh place in the 2019/20 season and twice a fifteenth place in the two seasons after that.

During his stint at Southampton, Hasenhüttl suffered a 9-0 defeat twice. In October 2019, the club was beaten at home by Leicester; in February 2021, Manchester United were far too strong at Old Trafford. The Spaniard Rubén Sellés takes over Hasenhüttl’s tasks on an interim basis. He will be on the bench on Wednesday night as Southampton face Sheffield Wednesday in the EFL Cup.