Reading have become the second Championship team this week to sack their manager after dispensing of the services of Jose Gomes.

And former Rovers boss Mark Hughes is as short as 4/9 to be his replacement at the Madejski Stadium.

Hughes, who spent almost four years at Rovers, is un unsurprising favourite given the Royals current Sporting Director is his long-time assistant Mark Bowen.

Bowen was appointed to the position at Reading in August and worked alongside Hughes at Rovers as well Manchester City, Fulham, QPR, Stoke City and Southampton.

They left their positions at St Mary’s in December 2018, but after almost 12 months out of the game, Hughes could be set to land his seventh managerial role.

It comes after the Royals took the decision to sack Portuguese boss Gomes 11 games in to the season.

He helped lead the side to safety last season, after taking over in December 2018 following a spell with Rio Ave, but the Royals currently find themselves third bottom of the Championship.

They have won just one point from their last seven matches which included defeat to Rovers last month.

Second bottom Barnsley sacked Daniel Stendel earlier in the week, with the German favourite to replace Jack Ross who left Sunderland on Tuesday.

Announcing the decision, a club statement read: “Following just two wins in the first 11 league games in 2019-20, owner Mr Yongge Dai has made the difficult decision to part company with Gomes and make a change at first team level.”

Hughes played 62 times for Rovers before taking over the managerial job in September 2004 and in all was in charge for 188, winning 82.

He left for Manchester City in the summer of 2008 having led Rovers to European qualification and three domestic cup semi-finals.