Chelsea have sacked head coach Liam Rosenior after less than four months in charge following a run of five consecutive Premier League defeats.
They have been beaten seven times in their last eight games in all competitions and have failed to score in five straight league losses, the first time this has happened since 1912.
Rosenior, 41, was appointed in January after Enzo Maresca departed the club.
A 3-0 defeat to Brighton on Tuesday, which he described as unacceptable, proved the final straw for the hierarchy.
The club announced that Rosenior had parted company with immediate effect, saying the decision was not taken lightly and that recent results have fallen below the necessary standards. Calum McFarlane, one of Rosenior's assistants, will take charge as caretaker for the rest of the season, starting with the FA Cup semi-final against Leeds United.
Chelsea sit seventh in the Premier League, seven points adrift of the Champions League places with four games remaining.
McFarlane will be tasked with stabilising results and salvaging some European football to ease the financial burden on a club that posted a pre-tax loss of AU$449 million last season.
The club said it would undertake a process of self-reflection to make the right long-term appointment.
The ownership group has overseen the dismissal of five permanent managers in under five seasons, with several names, including Andoni Iraola, Marco Silva and Edin Terzic, linked as potential successors for next season.
Chelsea had enjoyed trophies last year but have spent more than £1 billion on players since takeover, a level of outlay not matched by sustained results and squad turnover.
Rosenior had been appointed to replace Maresca after promising signs, but the team were eliminated from the League Cup by Arsenal and were eliminated 8-2 on aggregate by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16.
Cracks in the relationship between players and the coaching staff had been evident for weeks, with Enzo Fernandez and Marc Cucurella publicly questioning Maresca's departure; Fernandez was briefly dropped after hinting at a Real Madrid move and later apologised.
Rosenior's post-match remarks after the Brighton defeat reflected his frustration with the level of performance, stating it did not reflect the club's standards and he felt numb with anger.
Fans have protested against the ownership group's approach, which has focused on recruiting young talent globally. While players such as Cole Palmer have emerged, several star names could depart as the club eyes a return to European competition.
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