Jack Ross sacked: Dundee United axe manager after humiliating 9-0 defeat by Celtic

The club record home defeat was United’s fifth successive loss, a run that included a 7-0 hammering away to AZ Alkmaar in the Europa Conference League and a 4-1 thumping by Hearts at Tynecastle.

Ross, who had signed a two-year contract, departs after only 10 weeks in the job with United two points adrift at the bottom of the cinch Premiership.

United confirmed he has been "relieved of his duties with immediate effect", with former Livingston and Hearts coach Liam Fox taking interim charge. The Tangerines are are to Livingston in a last-16 Premier Sports Cup tie on Wednesday.

Ross, 46, was appointed in June to succeed Tam Courts, who led United to fourth place last season and secured European football for the first time in a decade before joining Budapest Honved.

It was a return to the top flight of Scottish football for the manager who was dismissed by Hibs in December last year just 10 days before the Premier Sports Cup final against Celtic at Hampden.

He had presided over a poor run of form in the league at Easter Road, but many pundits were surprised by the Easter Road club’s sudden decision after he had guided Hibs to the Scottish Cup final, a third place finish and European football at the end of season 2020/21.

But Ross has had a disastrous start to his tenure at Tannadice, picking up just one point from from five matches. That came when Kilmarnock snatched an injury-time equaliser on the opening day of the season.

United followed that up with a stunning 1-0 victory over AZ 1-0 in the first leg of their Europa Conference qualifier but the optimism and confidence soon disappeared.

United have conceded 24 goals in their five-game losing streak, while scoring just one.

The former Alloa, St Mirren and Sunderland boss made eight new signings in the summer, including marquee arrivals Steven Fletcher, Aziz Behich and Dylan Levitt, but his has failed to deliver and Ross has paid the price.