Manning among City candidates

Oxford boss is one of the leading names in search for Pearson’s Robins successor

OXFORD United head coach Liam Manning has emerged as one of the names being considered by Bristol City to replace Nigel Pearson as Robins boss.

Pearson was sacked last Sunday with chairman Jon Lansdown and technical director Brian Tinnion referencing results, but also in the same set of interviews detailing how the next man in the Ashton Gate dugout will be a “progressive” and attack-minded head coach.

That signifies a departure from the previous managerial model, and Manning very much fits the brief.

He has guided Oxford into second place in Sky Bet League One, three points behind unbeaten leaders Portsmouth with the Us the secondhighest goalscorers in the division.

The 38-year-old, right, previously took MK Dons into the play-offs, playing an exciting and expansive brand of football, before being sacked in his second season at the club after key players Scott Twine and Harry Darling were sold.

City have first-hand experience of a Manning-coached team as while Oxford were ultimately comfortably beaten 5-1 in a Carabao Cup first round tie in August, the scoreline did not reflect the story of the game with the Us catching the eye in their organisation and patterns of play.

The former West Ham youth coach is one of a number of names being discussed by the Robins hierarchy and his status as being under contract at a fellow EFL club does cause potential complications in the recruitment process.

Curtis Fleming will lead the City team into today’s Championship clash against Sheffield Wednesday