Nigel Pearson is in the running to take the vacant managerial position at Leicester City following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers on Sunday, according to the bookies.
The Foxes are looking for a new manager after defeat against fellow relegation candidates Crystal Palace at the weekend left them second from bottom, one point adrift of safety. Rodgers was dismissed on Sunday following a run of five defeats in six and two wins in his last 13 league matches.
Pearson is currently joint third favourite at 12/1 with SkyBet along with three other names in ex-Southampton manager Ralph Hassenhutl, Celtic's Ange Postecoglou and Steven Gerrard - currently without a club after his sacking from Aston Villa earlier in the season.
Graham Potter is the standout favourite to step straight back into management (evens) following his dismissal at Chelsea over the weekend while Rafa Benitez remains at 5/1. Other names linked to the post include Blackburn's Jon Dahl Thomason (16/1) and Jesse Marsch (18/1).
The fact Pearson's name is under consideration comes as no major surprise given how highly he is regarded at Leicester. He achieved promotion from League One in his first spell in charge, returning to the club 17 months later where he would later achieve Premier League football, finishing top of the Championship with 102 points.
Pearson then masterminded Leicester's great escape during their debut campaign in the top flight, winning seven of their final nine games on the back of no wins in eight games. He left his position in the summer following a disagreement with the board but Leicester would take their momentum into the following season under Claudio Ranieri, winning the Premier League title as 5000/1 outsiders.
The City manager, 59, has a hero's status in Leicester and his experience in achieving Premier League survival suggests, at least on the surface, he could be a viable option - albeit highly unlikely.
He still has a contract with the Robins until the summer of 2024 following his appointment in 2021. It's all hypothetical, of course, but it would appear improbable that Pearson would leave behind the project he is building to take the position, particularly if it's a short-term appointment.
Leicester are typically renowned for giving managers time in the cutthroat nature of the industry but could look for an experienced head to ensure their top-flight status. Crystal Palace turned to former boss Roy Hodgson until the end of the season for the same reason, earning a 3-2 victory in his first game that succumbed Rodgers to his fate.
There have been 12 managerial departures this season, a new record, with Everton, Southampton, Leeds, Wolves and Aston Villa all making changes under the threat of relegation. There are currently nine sides in danger of the drop with just seven points separating 20th and 12th and eight games left to play.
Next Leicester manager odds
Graham Potter - 1/1
Rafa Benitez - 5/1
Nigel Pearson - 12/1
Ange Postecoglou - 12/1
Ralph Hassenhutl - 12/1
Steven Gerrard - 12/1
Jon Dahl Thomason - 16/1
Jesse Marsch - 18/1
Mauricio Pochettino - 18/1
Michael Carrick - 18/1
Patrick Vieira - 18/1
Odds courtesy of SkyBet and accurate at the time of writing
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