Newcastle United sacked manager Graeme Souness on Thursday following the club's poor run of form.

In a statement, the struggling Premier League club said Souness's employment had been terminated with immediate effect.

Newcastle said youth academy chief Glenn Roeder would take charge of the first team "for the immediate future" and would be assisted by captain Alan Shearer for Saturday's home league match against Portsmouth.

Souness, 52, took charge in September 2004 after Bobby Robson was sacked.

This season the team has been ravaged by injuries and Newcastle, who have not won a domestic honour since the FA Cup in 1955, are 15th in the 20-team Premier League.

On Wednesday they lost 3-0 at Manchester City, their fifth defeat in their last six matches.

Souness is the second Premier League manager to lose his job this season. Portsmouth parted company with Frenchman Alain Perrin on November 24.