Leeds United were beaten to promotion by Russell Martin’s Southampton, but the Saints haven’t enjoyed their instant Premier League return, with the manager now sacked already.
Leeds are enduring a second season back in the Championship this season but remain in control as they look to secure automatic promotion this time around.
Their rivals from last season are finding a return to the Premier League very difficult to navigate, no more so than Southampton at the foot of the table.
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Southampton sack Russell Martin after 5-0 Spurs horror show
Russell Martin has found positive results incredibly hard to come by in the Premier League so far, and the latest was the final straw – a home battering at the hands of Tottenham.
Despite Ange Postecoglou being forced to play Archie Gray at centre-back, Spurs were totally dominant and ruthless as they raced into a 5-0 lead by half-time, cruising through the second half amidst a grim atmosphere inside St Mary’s.
The result was to be Martin’s last act as Southampton boss, being sacked rom the job with 16 games in the Premier League and just five points collected.
We can confirm that we have taken the difficult decision to part ways with our Men’s First Team Manager, Russell Martin.
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 15, 2024
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49ers sent huge Farke warning with Russell Martin floundering in PL
Such is the gap in the Premier League that player and manager recruitment have to be largely spotless to avoid instant relegation back to the top flight.
For Southampton, neither facet of their squad – Martin or the players – have been good enough for them to stand a chance of survival thus far.
Martin’s demise in the Premier League should come as a really stark warning for the 49ers on Farke’s future at the club too, given that the ex-Saints boss schooled Farke three times in the Championship last season with nothing changing as we fell to defeat at Wembley with a tactically inferior showing.
If the Premier League’s worst-performing manager and squad can thrice sweep aside Farke and Leeds, then what does that say about what would await for Leeds in the top flight if they did clinch promotion under the German?
Giving Farke a squad that can actually compete would be ideal, though, if that were to happen, as opposed to what Southampton had given Martin, but leaning on superior personnel is not on the cards.