Sunderland have recently announced that they have parted company with Phil Parkinson after a poor run of results in League One. 

The Black Cats are currently sat eighth in the third-tier standings, but are winless in their last five matches, which has seen them lose vital ground on the promotion-chasing teams around them.

Parkinson had been in charge of Sunderland since October 2019, but has been unable to take the club back into the Championship, much to the frustration of the club's supporters.

The likes of Nigel Pearson and Gus Poyet are just some of the names to be linked with the job at the Stadium of Light, although it remains to be seen as to who is the frontrunner to take charge of the struggling League One side.

Sunderland are set to return to action struggling Burton Albion on Tuesday evening, where they'll be hoping they can pick up three points from in a 'must-win' game if they're to stay in touch with the teams around them in the table.

We take a look at FIVE managers that Sunderland should be considering to fill the managerial vacancy at the Stadium of Light.

Find out who they are, on the next page....

Phillips is yet to manage a team on a permanent basis, but has worked as an assistant coach with Derby County and Stoke City in the past.

He is someone that is held in high regard by plenty of Sunderland supporters, after his services for the club as a player.

Phillips would be a manager that unites the Stadium of Light faithful, but his lack of experience as a manager will be a slight concern.

Cowley has been out of work since being relieved of his duties as Huddersfield Town's manager back in July 2020, much to the surprise of Terriers supporters.

He was previously working with Lincoln City before that move to the Championship club, and took the Imps from Non-League to League One very quickly.

Cowley impressed in the third-tier as well, and will surely be eager to get back into management in the near future.

Cook is another manager that has impressed in League One, having won promotion with Wigan Athletic earlier in his managerial career.

He left his role in charge of the Latics in the summer of 2020, after they were relegated from the Championship, although their points deduction for off-the-field problems had a significant impact on their 2019/20 league campaign.

Cook is a proven manager at this level, and should certainly be one of the names that are on Sunderland's managerial targets.

Poyet has previously worked with Sunderland, before being relieved of his duties back in 2015 whilst they were playing their football in the Premier League.

The 53-year-old has most recently managed French side Bordeaux, after just nine months in charge of the club, after criticising the club over the sale of one of their players.

Poyet has previously revealed that he would welcome the opportunity to take charge of his former side once again.

Pearson would be somewhat of a coup for Sunderland, having previously managed in the Premier League not so long ago.

Pearson was sacked as Watford's manager towards the end of the 2019/20 season, after struggling to make a signifiant impact with the Hornets, as they were eventually relegated from the top-flight.

The former Leicester City boss is one of the names being linked with the managerial vacancy at Sunderland, and the Black Cats could certainly benefit from appointing a manager of his calibre, as he could 'fire up' a group of underperforming players at the Stadium of Light.