Sheffield United sack Ruben Selles after 5-0 Ipswich defeat

Sheffield United have sacked head coach Ruben Selles after a catastrophic start to the season that culminated in a 5-0 defeat at Ipswich Town on Friday, the club confirmed on Saturday. The loss left United bottom of the Championship and without a win in the opening fixtures, prompting the board to relieve Selles of his duties less than three months after his appointment.

Selles was appointed in June to replace Chris Wilder following United's narrow failure to secure automatic promotion and their playoff final defeat in May. Under Selles the Blades failed to register a victory in their first five league matches and were also eliminated from the Carabao Cup, leaving him without a win in six games in all competitions, according to match reports. The side had scored only once in the Championship and conceded heavily, a run that intensified calls for change from supporters and pundits alike.

The decision to sack Selles follows mounting public criticism. Former player and pundit Jason Cundy said on talkSPORT that the club should be "hugely concerned" and warned United would not challenge for the play-off places if performances did not improve. Local journalists and fans voiced similar...