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Ralph Hasenhuttl has been sacked as Southampton manager after their 4-1 defeat to Newcastle on Sunday.
The Saints languish in the relegation zone in 18th place after having won just once in their last nine games – and just three times all season.
Hasenhuttl had been in charge of the club since December 2018 when he succeeded Mark Hughes.
Southampton announced that first team assistant Richard Kitzbichler had also left.
Luton boss Nathan Jones has emerged as the early frontrunner for the job, according to bookmakers, with the 49-year-old 1/5 with Bet Victor.
Ralph Hasenhuttl has been sacked as Southampton manager after a poor start to the season
Southampton have won just three of their 14 league games so far this Premier League season
In a statement, the club said: “Hasenhüttl, who was appointed in December 2018, is leaving because he has made significant contributions to the club, oversaw some memorable achievements and also played a key role in the development of our club infrastructure, identity and playing team. . However, we believe that now is an opportune time to make a change.
“Everyone involved with the club would like to sincerely thank Ralph for all his efforts, as well as the unwavering dedication he has shown throughout his time as manager.
First team leader Coach Rubén Sellés will take over the interim lead for our game on Wednesday evening. The club will announce a permanent replacement in due course.’
Sportsmail had reported on Sunday that after the defeat to Newcaslte, Hasenhuttl’s time at the club was about to end.
His position at the club was on the smaller side after an eighth loss in 14 Premier League games, leaving him in the bottom three.
The hierarchy of the Saints was faced with the dilemma of whether to formally drop the ax before or during the World Cup, but they decided to make the decision Monday morning.
The Austrian admitted on Sunday that he saw no way out of his team’s poor competition form
The young Southampton side have won just one of their last nine games in the Premier League
On Sunday night, Hasenhuttl seemed almost resigned to his fate after the defeat to Eddie Howe’s high-flying side. When asked directly if he was afraid of being fired, he said, “I’ve made a lot of decisions since I’ve been here, but I don’t have to make these.”
More tellingly, when asked if the 55-year-old could see a way out of the slump, he added, “No…. Not at the moment.”
When Hasenhuttl arrived in 2018, Southampton was in 18th place before Hasenhuttl got them to safety that season.
In the three subsequent campaigns, Southampton finished 11th, 15th and 15th, but they have taken a gloomy shape in recent months.
Since March earlier this year, he has amassed just 17 points from 26 games, with the South Coast team conceding a whopping 54 goals in that period.
Hasenhuttl leaves with a record 60 wins from 173 games – a win ratio of 35 percent.
Southampton have just two games left before the break from the World Cup – a Carabao Cup draw with Sheffield Wednesday in the middle of the week and a trip to Anfield to play against Liverpool next Saturday.
The club’s hierarchy faces the decision of whether to make an appointment for the tournament in Qatar before the break – or wait a little longer.
Luton Town manager Nathan Jones has emerged as an early frontrunner for the job
Luton Town boss Jones is the early bookmakers favourite, with the Welsh manager highly regarded after his impressive body of work at Kenilworth Road.
After leading them to League Two promotion, he had the Hatters in second place in League One before being poached by Stoke City in January 2019.
However, he enjoyed a miserable spell with the Potters, which lasted 10 months at the club and won just seven of his 38 games in charge.
Jones returned to Luton as manager in May 2020, putting them to safety before being established as a championship outfit.
Remarkably, they reached the play-offs last season, eventually losing 2-1 to Huddersfield Town in the semi-finals.
The Welshman was subsequently named EFL’s Championship Manager of the Season for 2021-22.
Other managers linked to the job early on include River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo, former Burnley boss Sean Dyche and Bodo/Glimt head coach Kjetil Knutsen.