Southampton sent home its manager Russell Martin on Sunday evening following a humiliating 5-0 defeat by Tottenham, leaving the club rooted to the bottom of the Premier League.
The team has won just once this season and is now nine points away from safety.
“We can confirm that we have made the difficult decision to part ways with our Men’s First Team Manager, Russell Martin,” the club stated in an official announcement.
This decision came on the same day that Wolverhampton, another club fighting relegation, dismissed head coach Gary O’Neil.
Wolverhampton, who are second from bottom, sit four points ahead of Southampton.
Martin, who guided the club to promotion to the Premier League last season, has struggled to turn around a dismal start to the current campaign, with his team losing five of their last six matches.
“The board has supported Russell and his staff and has been clear about our expectations,” the club’s statement read. “We have all understood the urgency of improving results.”
Simon Rusk, manager of Southampton’s under-21 team, will take over on an interim basis.
