Aston Villa have parted ways with manager Robert de Pauw after one win from their first nine Women's Super League (WSL) games this season.
The club confirmed the news on X on Wednesday, hours before their match against Charlton Athletic in a decisive League Cup fixture.
"Aston Villa Women can confirm that Manager Robert de Pauw has left the club with immediate effect," the statement said.
De Pauw had only been in the job for five months after taking over from Carla Ward following her departure from the club at the end of last season.
Villa are ninth on the table with just one win and three draws from their first nine games. They are one point above Crystal Palace in the relegation zone.
Villa were beaten 4-0 by Arsenal on Sunday at the Emirates in what would be De Pauw's last match.
De Pauw posted a cryptic message on LinkedIn on Tuesday evening, saying: "I never shy away from difficult decisions, and I will certainly not win the popularity contests."