Wigan Athletic sack manager Malky Mackay after 2-0 home defeat

Wigan Athletic have fired manager Malky Mackay following their 2-0 home defeat by Derby County, the English Championship club said.

Wigan, who won the FA Cup and were relegated from the Premier League in 2013, are eight points from safety with five games left of the season.

Mackay, former manager of Watford and Cardiff City, took charge of Wigan in November.

They have gathered only 19 points from a possible 72 and look likely to be relegated to the third tier.

Wigan chairman David Sharpe told the club's website:

Mackay is still under investigation by the FA for allegedly sending racist and sexist text messages when he was Cardiff manager.

Former Wigan chairman Dave Whelan was fined by the FA and banned for six weeks for making racist comments in an interview following his decision to appoint Mackay as manager.