DEREK McInnes and Sam Allardyce are among the bookmakers’ favourites to be the next manager of West Bromwich Albion after Roberto Di Matteo was sacked yesterday.

St Johnstone boss McInnes was under consideration for the Burnley job last month before missing out to Eddie Howe and is now being linked with a return to West Brom, where he spent three years as a player.

Allardyce, who was sacked by Blackburn Rovers in December, also has connections to the Baggies having been assistant manager to Brian Talbot at the Hawthorns in the early 1990s.

Di Matteo was relieved of his duties following Saturday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City.

The result was the Baggies’ 13th defeat in 18 games in all competitions and a statement on the club’s website confirmed Di Matteo had been placed on gardening leave.

First-team coach Michael Appleton will take over on a caretaker basis while a replacement is sought.

Di Matteo’s assistant Eddie Newton and head of sports science Ade Mafe have left the club as part of the move.

Chairman Jeremy Peace said: “This has been a tough decision but we, as a board, believe it is the right one to give the club the best possible chance of remaining in the Barclays Premier League.

“Our poor sequence of results stretches back more than three months and there has been little sign of it coming to an end.

“If this run continues much longer, achieving our goal of retaining our Premier League status will become increasingly difficult.”