Watford sack manager Claudio Ranieri – reports

Watford have sacked manager Claudio Ranieri after just 16 weeks in the hotseat, according to reports.

The well-travelled Italian signed a two-year deal at Vicarage Road in October, replacing Xisco Munoz with the side 15th, having taken seven points from their first seven Premier League games.

But Ranieri only managed to double that points tally during his 13 top-flight matches in charge and has now reportedly been sacked after 112 days.

The Hornets languish in 19th place in the Premier League and sit just two points above bottom-placed Burnley, who have two games in hand on the Hertfordshire side.

The relegation rivals will go toe-to-toe in a rearranged encounter at Turf Moor this weekend, with last Friday’s chastening 3-0 home loss to struggling Norwich seemingly the final straw for the Watford hierarchy.