So who could replace Gus Poyet? Well, here are six people already being linked with the job.

Kevin Ball: He could take caretaker charge. A popular figure with the fans after a distinguished nine-year playing spell on Wearside.

Sam Allardyce: Another former Sunderland player, but currently West Ham's manager. Has also managed Sunderland's rivals Newcastle.

Dick Advocaat: The ex-Rangers boss, 67, is out of work after leaving his post as Serbia manager last year.

Glenn Hoddle: The former England boss has not not managed since 2006 after he left his job at Wolves.

Paul Lambert: Sacked by Aston Villa last month. During his playing career he played for Celtic and Borussia Dortmund.

Michael Laudrup: Won the League Cup at Swansea before being sacked in February 2014. Currently managing Qatari side Lekhwiya.

Image source, Getty Images

England's fast bowling coach, David Saker, has been appointed the new head coach of Australian Big Bash side Melbourne Renegades.

Saker, who has been with England for five years, will join up with the side 'upon finalisation of his England coaching duties'. Saker's current contract expires at the end of the English summer, but there has been speculation he may leave sooner.

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker on Twitter:, external "Sunderland have sacked Gus Poyet. Rumour has it he may not be too heartbroken."

So, one year and 14 days after leading his side out at the Capital One Cup final at Wembley, where his Sunderland side were beaten 3-1 by Manchester City, Gus Poyet is sacked as Black Cats manager.

Why did they sack him? Well, this might be the reason why.

Image source, BBC Sport

The figures only relate to Premier League games.

Image source, AFP

Juventus are ready to resist big offers from top European clubs for midfielder Paul Pogba this summer.

The Turin giants have no interest in selling the 22-year-old France international, who has been a success since arriving at the club in 2012 after leaving Manchester United as a free agent.

"There are clubs that are ready to spend 70-80m euros for Pogba," Juventus general director Giuseppe Marotta told Italian radio station Radio Deejay.

"There are many suitors for Pogba, but we do not want to open negotiations and we want him to stay with us. If we want to increase our level, we need players of great quality and Pogba is one of them."

Image source, Getty Images

Scotland have bounced back from two defeats on Sunday by picking up back-to-back wins on Monday at the World Women's Curling Championship, external in Sapporo.

Eve Muirhead, Anna Sloan, Vicki Adams and Sarah Reid were beaten by Denmark and Olympic champions Canada at the weekend, but came back fighting on Monday with a 9-2 win over the United States before defeating Norway 8-7.

West Brom midfielder Craig Gardner, who played for Sunderland from June 2011 to July 2014, writes on Twitter:, external "Sad day for @SunderlandAFC I hope they can turn things around."

Some early reaction to the news Sunderland have sacked manager Gus Poyet. #bbcsportsday

Image source, Getty Images

Marcus: Awful decision from Sunderland. Guided them to survival and a cup final, ended Mourinho's home record and beat United.

Del: Not at all surprised, to be honest. Football management has become a joke with this constant hiring and firing.

Peter Collins: That was a mistake from Sunderland. Given how they expected to go down last year, no surprise now. They are going down.

This is what Gus Poyet said in his final interview with Match of the Day on Saturday, following his side's 4-0 home defeat against Aston Villa.

Image source, BBC Sport

"We have no-one to blame apart from ourselves," said Poyet. "It's about being professional, standing up and correct it or it will be danger.

"We haven't been in the bottom three all year, but we aren't winning enough and have put ourselves in a difficult situation."

"We lost in the worst way possible and we're not getting it right. We need to perform and are not doing so.

So, whoever takes over at Sunderland has nine games to save them from relegation. They have some tricky looking away games, including at West Ham, Chelsea and Arsenal. The new manager's first home game is the derby match against Newcastle. Time for someone to become an instant hero.

Image source, BBC Sport

So Sunderland fans the news has been confirmed. Gus Poyet has been sacked. How do you assess his time at the Stadium of Light? Who do you want to replace him?

Also, which three teams are going to be relegated from the Premier League and why? Let us know your thoughts on Twitter using #bbcsportsday and leave a message on the BBC Sport Facebook page.

A statement from Sunderland says: "Sunderland AFC have parted company with head coach Gus Poyet this afternoon. An announcement will be made in due course regarding the head coach position. The club would like to place on record its' thanks to Gus and wishes him well for the future."

The statement has some quotes from chairman Ellis Short, who adds: "I would like to thank Gus for his endeavours during his time at the club, in particular last season's 'great escape' and cup final appearance, which will live long in the memory of every Sunderland fan.

"Sadly, we have not made the progress that any of us had hoped for this season and we find ourselves battling, once again, at the wrong end of the table. We have therefore made the difficult decision that a change is needed."

Sunderland sack manager Gus Poyet.

The Uruguayan leaves with the club 17th in the Premier League, one point above the relegation zone.

Image source, BBC Sport

Worcester City defender Wayne Thomas is making a big leap from the Conference North to the MLS, leaving Aggborough to take up a coaching job with New York Red Bulls.

The 35-year-old ex-Stoke City, Burnley and Southampton stalwart is to become an academy coach with the Major League Soccer Eastern Conference outfit.

Thomas played over 500 games in a career that took him all the way from Torquay to the Greek Super League.

"It's fully deserved," City boss Carl Heeley told BBC Hereford & Worcester. "It's a wonderful opportunity that he couldn't turn down."

Middlesbrough forward Patrick Bamford says his side are relishing their tussle for promotion from the Championship this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Boro are in a three-game sequence against play-off hopefuls Ipswich, who they beat 4-1 on Saturday, Tuesday's opponents Derby and then leaders Bournemouth.

"We'd rather play teams like this rather than those who are scrapping to stay in the league," said Bamford.

"To go to teams like Derby and Bournemouth makes it a massive game with where we are in the league."

On-loan Bolton goalkeeper Ben Amos expects to leave Manchester United in the summer when his contract expires.

The 24-year-old is in his second month with Wanderers and has only conceded three goals in his five starts.

"You could say Victor Valdes' arrival (at United) was the final nail in the coffin," he said.

There have been unconfirmed reports from the Sun, Daily Mail and Mirror that Gus Poyet has been sacked as Sunderland manager. More to follow shortly.

German Olympic officials are meeting to decide whether to choose Berlin or Hamburg as their candidate for the 2024 Games.

The eight-member board of the national Olympic committee will announce its recommendation later on Monday.

Boston and Rome have already announced bids for the 2024 Games while Paris is also expected to join the field.

The deadline for submission of bids to the International Olympic Committee is 15 September. The host city will be selected in 2017.

Image source, Getty Images

Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko has criticised rules he claims are killing Formula One and warned billionaire benefactor Dietrich Mateschitz could pull the plug on the team if he loses his passion for the sport.

Marko's remarks come after team principal Christian Horner called on the FIA for an equalisation of the regulations following Mercedes' crushing one-two start to the season in the Australian Grand Prix, led by Lewis Hamilton and suggested fans will turn away from the sport if Mercedes are not reined in.

"We will evaluate the situation again as every year and look into costs and revenues," said Marko, speaking to Austrian media. "If we are totally dissatisfied we could contemplate an F1 exit. The danger is there that Mateschitz loses his passion for F1."

Image source, Getty Images

Cyclone Pam has forced Volvo Ocean Race organisers to make their third postponement to the start of the fifth leg of the round-the-world offshore yacht race on Monday.

Following a meeting with the fleet's six skippers, race management decided to delay the stage from Auckland to Itajaí, Brazil until Wednesday morning local time, 67 hours behind the previously scheduled departure on Sunday.

They had previously postponed the start of the 6,776-nautical mile leg to Monday, and then Tuesday, to protect the fleet of boats.