The pressure on Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino increased on Saturday when his side were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool at Anfield, with Saints fans even scheduling a Twitter campaign on Monday night to tell the club that they want the Argentine to go.
The loss against the Merseyside outfit was their fifth in 12 Premier League matches this term and combined with other results it saw them slip down to 15th in the top flight standings.
A failure to find the net against Jurgen Klopp’s side also means that they have scored just nine league goals this season, with only the bottom two teams – Swansea City and Crystal Palace – having a worse record.
If Southampton did choose to sack Pellegrino in the near future they wouldn’t be the only Premier League team looking for a new boss, and The Mirror says that former Manchester United chief Louis van Gaal could be a contender for the Everton job as they struggle to prise Marco Silva away from Watford.
The Dutchman may have endured something of a tough spell with the Red Devils previously, but the 66-year-old could prove to be a shrewd appointment for the south coast outfit.
Here are three reasons Saints should replace Pellegrino with van Gaal…
Experience
While it will seem a little harsh that Southampton fans want Pellegrino gone already, his lack of experience, poor tactics and failure to pick up wins against teams they should be expecting to beat have contributed to the growing pressure on his shoulders.
Having managed the likes of United, Bayern Munich, Barcelona and the Netherlands national team during his managerial career, van Gaal has the knowledge and experience to make a difference wherever he finds himself and that is something that could be needed by Saints if they are to avoid being sucked into a relegation battle this season.
A big name
Pellegrino is someone that is still at the start of his managerial career, and it appears as though he perhaps doesn’t have the respect or the stature to get these Southampton players performing at the levels they have shown in the past.
Claude Puel largely failed too and it was under Ronald Koeman – who could be considered a big name – that they enjoyed their biggest success in the Premier League.
Van Gaal would certainly command the attention of individuals like Virgil van Dijk and Ryan Bertrand if he was to get the job at St Mary’s, and he is a manager that also has the ability to attract some exciting names to the club during the transfer windows.
Unfinished business
Having only served two of the three years of his Manchester United contract before being sacked in 2016, van Gaal may feel that he has some unfinished business in the Premier League.
While a job offer from one of the top six clubs may not be likely to be forthcoming, the 66-year-old would surely take a proposal from someone like Everton or Southampton seriously.
The Dutchman would certainly have a big point to prove, and he would believe that with a few additions in key areas that he could take Saints back into European contention.
Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.