Andre Villas-Boas was fired by Chelsea after barely eight months in charge of the English Premier League club yesterday, leaving owner Roman Abramovich searching for his eighth manager in nine years.

The Russian oligarch lost patience with the 34-year-old Villas-Boas after a 0-1 loss to West Bromwich Albion on Saturday left the club fifth in the league and out of the lucrative Champions League qualification places.

"Andre Villas-Boas has parted company with Chelsea," the club said in a statement. "The board would like to record our gratitude for his work and express our disappointment that the relationship has ended so early.

"Unfortunately the results and performances of the team have not been good enough and were showing no signs of improving at a key time in the season."

First team coach Roberto Di Matteo, a former Chelsea player and West Bromwich Albion manager, will take charge of the Blues until the end of the season.

Villas-Boas has been in football management for less than three years but was hired by Chelsea after winning a quadruple at FC Porto last season.

Villas-Boas has been under constant pressure since replacing Carlo Ancelotti, who was fired after failing to win a trophy last season despite a league and FA Cup double the previous year.

Meanwhile, Shola Ameobi scored in stoppage time as Newcastle United fought back to draw 1-1 against 10-man Sunderland in a heated northeast derby in the Premier League yesterday.

Six yellow cards were shown in the first half-hour as rash challenges flew and tempers flared with Sunderland scoring in the 24th-minute, courtesy of a penalty from on-loan Nicklas Bendtner.

Later, champion Manchester United will aim to narrow the gap on leader Manchester City when it traveled to third-placed Tottenham Hotspur.

City went five points clear on Saturday with a 2-0 win at home to Bolton Wanderers. It has 66 points from 27 games, while United is on 61 and Spurs on 53.