Southampton sack manager Ralph Hasenhuttl as Saints face relegation battle

Southampton have announced the sacking of their manager Ralph Hasenhuttl 14 games into the Premier League season. 

The news will come as little surprise to Saints fans, with rumours swirling around the future of the Austrian manager after a poor start to the season. Saints are currently 18th in the Premier League table, with just 12 points from 14 games so far. A 4-1 defeat at home to Newcastle on Sunday transpired to be the final straw with the Southampton board. 

In a statement, the club thanked Hasenhuttl for his service, as well as his “unwavering commitment” since his appointment in December 2018. He oversaw 173 Saints matches, collecting 1.26 points per game on average during that time. 

Southampton also revealed that first team lead coach Ruben Selles will take charge of the side on an interim basis before a new permanent manager is appointed in the coming days.

The favourite to replace the Austrian in the St. Mary’s dugout is Luton Town manager Nathan Jones. The Hatters are currently eighth in the Championship, having made a strong start to the campaign.