LONDON (AFP) — Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy and his Middlesbourgh counterpart Steve McClaren increasingly await as if they are engaged in a two-horse race to become the nearest Premiership manager to be axed.

LONDON (AFP) — Sunderland manager Mick McCarthy and his Middlesbourgh counterpart Steve McClaren increasingly await as if they are engaged in a two-horse race to become the nearest Premiership manager to be axed.

the pair the northeastern clubs have infuriated their fans with a string of dismal performances this season and late days have seen signs that the patience of their respective chairmen is finally running public

McCarthy, who has overseen 19 defeats in 24 Premiership outfits this season, appears to be in the greatest degree in danger following an angry outbreak from Sunderland's chairman Bob Murray.

The kitchen emperor of japan took exception to comments from McCarthy suggesting that the set promoted from the Championship last season, had effectively planned for relegation by way of failing to bring in enough experienced players to make Premiership survival a realistic possibility.

Murray admitted he had been infuriated at make comments [i]or[/i] remarkss he branded, "blatantly untrue and insulting."

He added: