Chelsea have sacked manager Graham Potter after less than seven months in charge following Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat by Aston Villa.
It was the Englishman’s 11th defeat in 31 games since replacing Thomas Tuchel at Stamford Bridge on 8 September.
Chelsea have dropped to 11th in the Premier League – 12 points outside the top four – having spent more than £550m on new players this season.
The club’s owners said they were “disappointed” to sack Potter.
Chelsea say Potter “has agreed to collaborate with the club to facilitate a smooth transition” and that Bruno Saltor, who worked with Potter at Brighton, will take charge of the team as interim head coach.
In a statement, co-controlling owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali said: “We have the highest degree of respect for Graham as a coach and as a person.
“He has always conducted himself with professionalism and integrity and we are all disappointed in this outcome.”
Chelsea host Liverpool in the Premier League on Tuesday and face Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on 12 April.
There have now been 13 managerial changes in the Premier League this season – three more than in any other previous campaign – with Leicester also sacking Brendan Rodgers earlier on Sunday.
‘Along with our incredible fans, we will all be getting behind Bruno and the team as we focus on the rest of the season,” the Chelsea owners added.
“We have 10 Premier League games remaining and a Champions League quarter-final ahead. We will put every effort and commitment into every one of those games so that we can end the season on a high.”
He won 12 of his 31 games in charge in all competitions and managed 1.27 points per game in the Premier League – the joint-lowest of any manager to take charge of 20 or more games for Chelsea in the Premier League, alongside Glen Hoddle.
