From 4-4-2 to three at the back: Analysing the tactical styles of Sunderland's leading manager candidates

And with Parkinson’s style of play failing to win over supporters at the Stadium of Light, fans are focusing on what his potential replacements could bring to the table.

So with that in mind, we take a look at some of the bookmakers’ favourites and the style of play they could implement:

DANNY COWLEY

Cowley has played a similar style of football at all four of his previous clubs – having gone from Concord Rangers to the Championship in the space of 12 years.

The 42-year-old tends to play a 4-2-3-1, or a variation of that formation, which allows his side to get plenty of players into the opposition box.

He's scarcely played the back three to which Sunderland fans have become accustom to in the last twelve months, preferring to play with a back flat four and thus freeing-up players to join in with the attack.

Prior to his promotion to League One with Lincoln, the lone striker was typically more of a traditional target man. Matt Rhead and John Akinde were regularly used as the Imps favoured a more direct approach.

En route to the League Two title, Cowley’s side played a high percentage of long balls – with 19.44 per cent of their passes played long (as a comparison, 14.65 per cent of Sunderland’s passes this season have been long).

That didn’t change much after promotion to League One, despite Tyler Walker arriving to lead the line.

Cowley’s side sent upwards of 20 per cent of their passes long in the early weeks of the campaign before he swapped Sincil Bank for the Championship and Huddersfield Town.

Interestingly, at Huddersfield, Cowley’s percentage of long balls did drop slightly - so could that be the case were he to be appointed at Sunderland?

PAUL COOK

Cook is another who has largely utilised the 4-2-3-1 system, using it to great effect at Wigan Athletic.

The Liverpudlian, of course, led the Latics to promotion from the third tier in 2017/18 and did so while sticking that formation.

Leading the line for Wigan was one Will Grigg, who flourished under a slightly less direct approach.

Wigan were impressive in front of goal during their promotion-winning campaign. They averaged 1.82 goals per game and produced over 14 shots on target per game.

During the current season, Sunderland’s shot count per game has been over two lower than that of Cook’s Wigan – so if the club’s hierarchy are looking for someone to get the Black Cats firing in front of goal, Cook could be their man.

LEE JOHNSON

Sometimes, you can’t beat the basics.

Johnson has had some real success playing a 4-4-2, first at Barnsley and then at Bristol City.

But unlike Cook and Cowley – who tend to rigidly stick with their formations, albeit with some subtle tweaks applied – Johnson is happy to switch between shapes.

During his last season at Ashton Gate, Johnson variated between four at the back and a 3-5-2. It gave Bristol an added element of flexibility – something which wasn’t always seen under the Black Cats' last manager.

Johnson’s sides are also typically possession-based, which would tick a big box with Sunderland fans.

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