Southampton 1-4 Newcastle
Ralph Hasenhuttl is facing the sack at Southampton – although he may not yet have managed them for the last time.
The Austrian boss admitted he can’t see a way out of their slump after a 4-1 home defeat to Newcastle kept Saints 18th in the Premier League.
Club chiefs have reportedly decided Hasenhuttl is not the man to revive their fortunes but are unsure whether to act now or during the .
Before the season stops Saints host Sheffield Wednesday in the Carabao Cup in midweek and visit Liverpool on Saturday.
On whether he was about to be axed, Hasenhuttl said last night: ‘I have taken a lot of decisions since I’m here but I don’t have to take this one.’
Asked if he saw a way of turning around their fortunes, he said: ‘No, at the moment.
‘I cannot say that we don’t try a lot to change and to play football. We are not taking the reward for the effort we are putting on the pitch.’ Miguel Almiron’s seventh goal in as many games gave the Magpies the lead before two goals in four second-half minutes from Chris Wood and Joe Willock underlined their superiority.
Romain Perraud curled a lovely consolation for Saints only for Bruno Guimaraes to fire a splendid fourth for Newcastle.
Victory moved the Magpies up to third in the Premier League but manager Eddie Howe was still not satisfied.
‘We were not at our best but scored four wonderful goals,’ he said. ‘It feels a little flat because we didn’t hit the heights which we have in other weeks.’
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