According to an exclusive report in The Telegraph, Southampton have made Mark Hughes the leading candidate to replace Mauricio Pellegrino after the Argentine was sacked on Monday night.

The 46-year-old was relieved of his duties following a disastrous run of just one win in 17 Premier League matches that has left Saints just one point above the relegation zone and in real danger of going down to the Championship.

The final nail in the coffin came in the 3-0 defeat against fellow strugglers Newcastle United at St James' Park on Saturday, where they found themselves behind with little over a minute on the clock and where some players looked as though they had given up in the closing stages, leaving the supporters in no doubt that they wanted Pellegrino gone.

Former Stoke City boss Hughes could be the man called upon to get Saints out of the predicament they currently find themselves in, and it will certainly be no easy task given they face Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City in their final eight top flight matches this term.

The Welshman will be looking to make his mark on the lowly south coast outfit, and will know that he may have to make changes to the side in order to get the results that they need. There will definitely be a number of underperforming players that will be fearing for their spot in the starting XI in the coming weeks if the 54-year-old does arrive at St Mary's.

Here are three Southampton stars that should be really worried about the potential appointment of Hughes…

McCarthy deservedly came into the side to make his Premier League debut for Southampton in their goalless draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford on December 30, following another horror show from Fraser Forster in the 5-2 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on Boxing Day.

The decision from Mauricio Pellegrino had been a long time coming and the England international hasn't played a single minute since then, with McCarthy conceding 14 goals in his 10 Premier League appearances.

Three of those came in the 3-0 defeat against Newcastle at St James' Park on Saturday however, and if Hughes comes in now he may feel that Forster has had his time out of the XI and now deserves another opportunity.

Considering the top flight experience that he has and the fact that he has six England caps, Hughes may prefer to have the 29-year-old between the sticks during the run-in.

The Serbia international performed brilliantly when he was playing alongside the likes of Graziano Pelle and Sadio Mane in his first two seasons with the club, but he has been far less impressive since the beginning of the 2016/17 campaign.

The 29-year-old has largely disappointed under Claude Puel and now Mauricio Pellegrino, with six goals and nine assists in his last 61 Premier League appearances, and those statistics haven't gone unnoticed by the fans.

Considering he has started most of those matches either on the wing or behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 system, that clearly isn't good enough.

With the likes of Sofiane Boufal, Nathan Redmond and even Manolo Gabbiadini potentially able to play in that position in the centre, Tadic should be fearing for his spot if Hughes arrives, and if the Welshman changes to a formation with two strikers it would likely see the Serbian drop to the substitutes' bench.

Considering he's an Argentine and worked with Mauricio Pellegrino during the duo's spell with Estudiantes, you have to feel that Carrillo was the former Southampton manager's signing during the January transfer window.

It may have been one last throw of the dice and show of support for Pellegrino by the board, but it hasn't really worked out with the £19.2m club-record buy failing to score in his opening eight appearances for the club and the fans demanding more from him.

Not particularly mobile and sometimes struggling in the air despite his tall frame, Hughes may choose to bring someone like Gabbiadini or Shane Long into the XI if he does take over at St Mary's, with the injured Charlie Austin also closing in on a return to action.

That would be bad news for Carrillo, but with Saints and Hughes not being in a position to accommodate a striker that is getting used to the Premier League, he would have to understand.

Do you agree, Saints fans? Let us know below.