Aston Villa have parted company with manager Roberto Di Matteo after only 12 matches in charge.
The Italian, who was appointed in June , leaves with Villa 19th in the Championship. Steve Clarke will take over as caretaker manager, with Steve Bruce and David Wagner, the manager of Huddersfield Town, expected to be targeted by the club’s owner, Tony Jiantong Xia.
“Aston Villa Football Club has today parted company with manager Roberto Di Matteo,” read a statement .
“The club decided to act following a run of disappointing results which has the left the team occupying 19th position in the Championship.
“The club would like to place on record its appreciation to Roberto for all his efforts in helping rebuild the squad and wish him well for the future.
Steve Clarke will take over as caretaker manager during the search for a new manager. There will be no further comment from the club.”
Di Matteo’s reign is the shortest of any permanent Villa manager in the club’s history and they are now looking for their fifth full-time manager since February 2015.
The former Chelsea manager made nine signings in the summer, including spending £12m on Ross McCormack and £15m on Jonathan Kodjia, but the strikers have scored only three goals between them and McCormack had a penalty saved against Preston at the weekend.
Di Matteo has also paid the price for Villa dropping 11 points in the final five minutes of games, when they have conceded five goals.
Villa’s net spend was £34m and Di Matteo had made assurances to the club’s hierarchy they would win promotion if they were in the top six at Christmas. However, they are 15 points behind the leaders, Huddersfield, and Xia, who bought the club in the summer, has acted.
Xia tweeted after the decision was announced: “A difficult decision 4the board. But rather sooner than later we’d make the decision. All need learn¬ repeat mistakes again&again.”
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