However, Mowbray has now been dismissed with Sunderland sitting ninth in the Championship on 27 points, three away from the top-six spots.
Here, though, we take a look at the field of candidates to replace Mowbray at the Academy of Light and who the clear favourites are:
1. Gus Poyet
The current Greece head coach is 33/1 to take the Sunderland job. Photo: Charles McQuillan
2. Nigel Pearson
The former Bristol City man has been given odds of 33/1 by the bookies to take the Sunderland job after Tony Mowbray's sacking and remains at that price today. Photo: George Wood
3. Leam Richardson
The former Wigan man has been given odds of 33/1 by the bookies to take the Sunderland job after Tony Mowbray's sacking. Photo: George Wood
4. Karl Robinson
The former Leeds and Oxford man has been given odds of 33/1 by the bookies to take the Sunderland job after Tony Mowbray's sacking. Photo: Julian Finney