Sunderland next manager odds as Aston Villa flop Remi Garde in running

Sunderland sacked manager Lee Johnson on Sunday night after their 6-0 thumping at Bolton Wanderers the day before.

A shell-shocked Johnson was given his marching orders following the hammering at mid-table Bolton with the Black Cats gunning for promotion back into the Championship.

Sunderland have only won one of their past five matches and had tasted success only once in 2022 and with promotion the aim this season the club's owner Kyril Louis-Dreyfus has moved to appoint a new manager.

Among the managers in the betting to become the new Sunderland boss are a couple of familiar faces to Aston Villa fans.

Former assistant head coach John Terry is second to the odds-on favourite Duncan Ferguson with betting platform BetVictor while flop Remi Garde is an outside chance at 16/1.

Terry is looking to get into management but has not long returned to Chelsea in a youth coaching capacity.

Garde meanwhile, has only managed once since his disastrous stint in charge of Villa, taking the reins at Canadian side Montreal Impact from 2017 to 2019.

He was appointed as Tim Sherwood's replacement at Villa in November 2015 but could not take the club out of the relegation zone and left the following March.

"I would like to thank Lee for his commitment and endeavour over the past 14 months," Louis-Dreyfus said in a statement.

"We regret that we have had to take this decision, but felt immediate change was needed.

"We firmly believe that this is in the best interests of Sunderland AFC as we strive to earn promotion this season.

"Lee and Jamie (McAllister) will always be welcome at the Stadium of Light and they depart with our best wishes.”

Sunderland's statement confirmed that the search for Johnson's replacement 'will commence