Charlie Nicholas believes that Mauricio Pellegrino may be about to take charge of Southampton for the final time.
Charlie Nicholas has told Sky Sports that he is expecting Southampton to be knocked out of the FA Cup when they travel to face Fulham on Saturday, and suggested that he would not be surprised if the tie represented Mauricio Pellegrino’s final game in charge of the Saints or if the club then decided that they would welcome Ronald Koeman back.
It has been a fairly miserable start to life on the south coast for Pellegrino. Tuesday’s defeat to Crystal Palace leaves Southampton just one place above the bottom three in the Premier League, with only goal difference keeping them above the relegation zone.
They have not won any of their last nine games, and Nicholas believes that losing to the Championship side – which he expects will happen – will mean the end of the line for the Spaniard who only arrived in the summer, and hinted that Koeman may be someone they will consider if they do decide to make a change.
“Manolo Gabbiadini doesn’t look like he knows what the manager wants from him and I think they’d take Ronald Koeman back in a heartbeat, although I’m not sure the fans would be happy with that.”
Fulham may only be on the periphery of the play-off race right now, but they go into the contest off the back of an extremely encouraging run of form in the Championship, that has seen them win three and draw one of their last four games.
And with 12 goals scored in their last four, it seems more than likely that Southampton – who will, of course, be without Virgil van Dijk following his move to Liverpool – will be tested defensively.
And Nicholas fears that they will not pass that test and may well be coming out of the game by beginning the search for a brand new manager as it may the final nail in Pellegrino’s coffin.
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