Premier League: Ralph Hasenhuttl named as new Southampton manager

Premier League strugglers Southampton have today unveiled Ralph Hasenhuttl as their new manager.

The 51-year-old Austrian has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with the Saints and replaces Mark Hughes, who was sacked by the club on Monday.

After 14 matches Southampton are 18th in the Premier League table and tonight they travel to Wembley to take on Tottenham (8pm).

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First-team assistant coach Kelvin Davis will be in charge for the clash against Spurs and Hasenhuttl will formally start his job tomorrow.

Hasenhuttl was previously manager of German club RB Leipzig and led them to the Europa League quarter-finals. His experience was a key reason why he got the job said Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger.

“The urgency to find a path back to our potential and to the results that we expect cannot be underestimated,” Krueger said in a statement. “For that reason, we are extremely pleased that Ralph Hasenhuttl has agreed to become our new manager and do all he can to help guide us back on that path.

“This manager change offers us a fresh start and, very quickly, Ralph emerged as our ideal candidate. As a coach, he embodies the passion, structure, communication skill set, work ethic and appetite for growth that we strive for in our ‘Southampton Way’. The quick, smooth and seamless negotiation process underlines the character of the person that he is.

��We have been aware of Ralph since his days at FC Ingolstadt, where he showed the qualities that we believe we need at the club. He has since gone on to develop those attributes with a track-record of success in the Bundesliga and with a progressive and ambitious club in RB Leipzig.”

Premier League results and fixtures

Tuesday 4 December

• AFC Bournemouth 2 Huddersfield Town 1
• Brighton & Hove Albion 3 Crystal Palace 1
• West Ham United 3 Cardiff City 1
• Watford 1 Manchester City 2

Wednesday 5 December (7.45pm unless stated)

• Burnley vs. Liverpool
• Everton vs. Newcastle United
• Fulham vs. Leicester City
• Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Chelsea
• Manchester United vs. Arsenal (8pm, live on BT Sport)
• Tottenham Hotspur vs. Southampton (8pm)