West Brom sack Di Matteo

Roberto Di Matteo became the fourth English Premier League boss to be sacked this season when West Bromwich Albion relieved him of his duties on Sunday.

The Italian manager was in charge of the Baggies when they lost 3-0 to Manchester City at Eastlands on Saturday, a defeat which cost him his job.

A statement on the club’s official website confirmed the 40-year-old’s time was up at the Hawthorns.

“This was the unanimous decision of the Football Club’s Board of Directors in light of a worrying sequence of results which has seen the Club lose 13 of their last 18 games in all competitions, winning only three,” the statement read.

“First-Team Coach Michael Appleton will assume control of first-team affairs whilst the Club considers all available options for a new Head Coach.”

Albion chairman Jeremy Peace said the club felt they had no choice but to remove Di Matteo to maintain any hope of the promoted side keeping their place in the English top flight for the 2011-2012 campaign.

“This has been a tough decision but we, as a Board, believe it is the right one to give the Club the best possible chance of remaining in the Barclays Premier League,” Peace said.

“Our poor sequence of results stretches back more than three months and there has been little sign of it coming to an end.”

“If this run continues much longer, achieving our goal of retaining our Premier League status will become increasingly difficult. That is why we felt compelled to act now.”

Assistant coach Eddie Newton and fitness coach Ade Mafe departed the club on Sunday with immediate effect, as a result of Di Matteo’s sacking.

Di Matteo’s departure means a quarter of the Premier League clubs have changed managers this campaign, including Martin O’Neill (Aston Villa), Roy Hodgson (Liverpool), Chris Hughton (Newcastle) and Sam Allardyce (Blackburn).