Brendan Rodgers was sacked on Sunday after Liverpool’s owners took ‘the difficult decision’ to look for a new manager.
Jurgen Klopp is now the hot favourite to succeed Rodgers, who was told in a phone call by Mike Gordon — the president of Fenway Sports Group — that his three-year reign was over.
Carlo Ancelotti, the former Chelsea manager, is also in the frame and was in London on Sunday night having flown in from Italy. Although the Italian is willing to talk, early signs are pointing towards Klopp being the man FSG want.
Rodgers was dismissed after a 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park but FSG had already taken the decision to replace him regardless of the result. When they sacked Kenny Dalglish in May 2012, they embarked on a near month-long search and spoke to a variety of candidates before they chose Rodgers, but there will be no drawn-out process on this occasion.
Rodgers was dismissed after a 1-1 draw with Everton at Goodison Park but FSG had already taken the decision to replace him regardless of the result. When they sacked Kenny Dalglish in May 2012, they embarked on a near month-long search and spoke to a variety of candidates before they chose Rodgers, but there will be no drawn-out process on this occasion.
Liverpool will not appoint a caretaker manager as they expect the new man to be in charge for the trip to Tottenham on October 17 after the international break. The club have not yet made a decision on whether coaches Sean O’Driscoll, Gary McAllister and Pepijn Lijnders will also be sacked.
A statement on Liverpool's website read: 'Liverpool Football Club has announced that Brendan Rodgers will leave his post with immediate effect after having his contract terminated. The process to appoint a new manager is underway.'
In a joint Fenway Sports Group statement, owner John W Henry, chairman Tom Werner and president Mike Gordon said: 'We would like to place on record our sincere thanks to Brendan Rodgers for the significant contribution he has made to the club and express our gratitude for his hard work and commitment.
'All of us have experienced some wonderful moments with Brendan as manager and we are confident he will enjoy a long career in the game.
'Although this has been a difficult decision, we believe it provides us with the best opportunity for success on the pitch.
'Ambition and winning are at the heart of what we want to bring to Liverpool and we believe this change gives us the best opportunity to deliver it.
'The search for a new manager is underway and we hope to make an appointment in a decisive and timely manner.'
Liverpool legend and Sportsmail columnist Jamie Carragher backed Klopp as the man to take up the vacant post on Sunday night.
Carragher, speaking as a pundit on Sky Sports' coverage of Sunday's match of Ancelotti and Klopp: 'I think either of those coming in to Liverpool, I think the Liverpool supporters would be ecstatic.
'Carlo Ancelotti, Champions League winner three times, they know what Klopp did at Borussia Dortmund, we were all excited by them over the last few years. If it was me I would go for Klopp ahead of Ancelotti. I think he's got more to prove.
'I think Liverpool is not an easy job now. I think Ancelotti is a great manager of course but he gone to clubs where you expect to win trophies. It's a difficult job now at Liverpool to get them back into the top four.'
(Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football)
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