Leicester City sack manager Shakespeare after poor start to season

Leicester City have sacked manager Craig Shakespeare following a run of one win in eight Premier League matches this season.

Shakespeare was relieved of his duties at the King Power Stadium at a meeting on Tuesday following a 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday.

Shakespeare took over from Claudio Ranieri when the Italian was sacked in February with Leicester in the midst of a relegation battle and rumours of a dressing room revolt.

Leicester, shock title winners the season before, subsequently finished 12th with improved performances in the latter months of the campaign, leading to Shakespeare being rewarded with a three-year contract in June.

However, a rocky run of results - in which they failed to defeat Huddersfield Town, Bournemouth and West Brom - led the Foxes board to take action against the 53-year-old.

Two of their three victories this season had come in the Carabao Cup, where Leicester have reached the fourth round, and they are placed 18th out of 20 in the league table.

Shakespeare had been assistant manager at Leicester for six years before transitioning into caretaker when Ranieri departed.

DATE	LEICESTER'S PL RESULTS IN 17-18
11-Aug	Arsenal 4-3 Leicester City
19-Aug	Leicester City 2-0 Brighton
26-Aug	Manchester United 2-0 Leicester City
09-Sep	Leicester City 1-2 Chelsea
16-Sep	Huddersfield Town 1-1 Leicester City
23-Sep	Leicester City 2-3 Liverpool
30-Sep	Bournemouth 0-0 Leicester City
16-Oct	Leicester City 1-1 West Brom

Leicester's vice-chairman, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, told the club's official website: “Craig has been a great servant to Leicester City – during his spells as an Assistant Manager and since taking over as Manager in challenging circumstances in February. His dedication to the Club and to his work has been absolute and the contribution he made to the most successful period in Leicester City history is considerable.

“However, our early promise under Craig’s management has not been consistently evident in the months since and the Board feels that, regrettably, a change is necessary to keep the Club moving forward – consistent with the long-term expectations of our supporters, Board and owners.

“Craig is and will remain a very popular, respected figure at Leicester City and will be welcome back at King Power Stadium in future, both professionally and as a friend of the Club.”

Shakespeare's sacking has largely come out of the blue, with Ronald Koeman's position at Everton - two points above Leicester in 16th - attracting a greater degree of scrutiny among Premier League managers.

Alan Pardew, Guus Hiddink, Gary Rowett, Sam Allardyce and former Foxes boss Nigel Pearson are among the initial front-runners for the newly-vacated job.

It's been a tumultuous 12 months for Leicester, who had been riding high on the back of a shock Premier League title triumph a year ago.

Now many are tipping the East Midlands club for a relegation battle under whoever succeeds Shakespeare at the helm of the Thai-owned club.

The first match for the caretaker manager - or replacement, should they be hired before Saturday - will be a visit to relegation rivals Swansea City.