Sunderland are bottom of the Premier League after a 3-1 defeat to Coventry City, extending their winless league run to seven games and intensifying pressure on manager Regis Le Bris.
The Black Cats' boss retains goodwill from last season, when he led the team into Europe at the end of their first campaign back in the Premier League. There have also been promising cup results this season, with Sunderland reaching the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after victories over Hull and Brentford, while taking seven points from three Europa League outings.
In the league, however, their misery was compounded by the defeat to fellow strugglers Coventry on Saturday afternoon.
Defeat to Coventry leaves Sunderland bottom
First-half goals from Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and Taiwo Awoniyi put Frank Lampard's team in control early on before Jack Rudoni added a deflected third early in the second half.
Enzo Le Fee pulled a goal back from the penalty spot, but it was too little, too late, and Omar Alderete was sent off in the closing stages of the match.
While some may claim it would be harsh to get rid of a boss who is a victim of his own success, Premier League football is a ruthless business. Express Sport has looked at some of the men Sunderland may turn to if they decide a change is needed.
Thomas Frank and Sean Dyche among candidates
It can be tempting to look at Frank's struggles at Tottenham and rule him out. However, he is far from the only manager to thrive elsewhere and struggle in north London. The case for appointing Frank is based on what he did well at Brentford, with the set-up he had while in charge of the Bees seen as something that could translate to the Stadium of Light.
Dyche has, for some time, been who Premier League teams turn to when they need a firefighter. The general argument is that he is not necessarily someone to hold down the job long term but can produce a quick change in results. The case against the former Everton and Burnley boss comes down to what happened last season, with his Nottingham Forest spell far from convincing, so much so that he was gone after just 25 games in all competitions.
Vitor Pereira, Kieran McKenna and Davide Ancelotti
Pereira replaced Dyche at the City Ground and led them to safety while balancing league and European commitments, something Sunderland might have in mind. The Portuguese coach also made a positive impact at a struggling Wolves side, saving them from relegation, partly through the way he endeared himself to fans.
Former Ipswich boss McKenna was linked with a number of top jobs during his time at Portman Road. He is now without a club, having stepped away after leading the Tractor Boys to another promotion. McKenna's second-tier calibre is well-known, even if he has limited top-flight experience, though the bigger question may concern whether he is ready to step back into management.
Davide Ancelotti is a wildcard option, but Le Bris was not someone that many English clubs were linked with before his move to Wearside. It would not be the first time Ancelotti has been linked with a Premier League move, with Everton previously trying and failing to bring him to the club where his father Carlo was once in charge. The Italian has been thriving in Ligue 1 with Lille since taking over in the summer, and while he might not want to move so soon, the prospect of a Premier League job could yet appeal.
