Next Stoke City manager: Middlesbrough boss Chris Wilder and ex-Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton among names linked

The Potters have won only one and lost three of their opening five games in the Championship this season, and currently lie 21st in the table.

O’Neill was the first Championship boss to lose his job this season.

And the bookmakers have revealed who are the early favourites.

Dyche is 6/4 with SkyBet, with ex-Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton 5/2 and current Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder 5/1.

Mark Robins is 7/1 with SkyBet, with Dean Holden 14/1.

Duncan Ferguson, Gareth Ainsworth and Michael Carrick are all 16/1.

Former Northern Ireland boss O’Neill took charge at the club in November 2019, succeeding Nathan Jones, with them bottom of the second tier at the time.

They went on to finish 15th that season, then 14th in each of the next two campaigns.

Stoke – who this term have also been eliminated from the Carabao Cup by League One Morecambe – are next in action when they take on Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday.

Sunderland beat Stoke City last weekend.

After a slow start, the Black Cats took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Ross Stewart’s finish beat goalkeeper Joe Bursik.

Sunderland then defended admirably in the second half, while still posing a threat on the break.

Sunderland are back in Championship action on Saturday lunchtime when they host Norwich City at the Stadium of Light in the early kick-off, with Alex Neil looking to build on the positive start against his former club.