Former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips believes that the players led to Steve Bruce's sacking from the Stadium of Light.

Bruce was dismissed on Wednesday evening following a run of results which has left the club 16th in the Premier League table.

"Certainly when the Sunderland crowd turn on you, it left the board with no option," Phillips told BBC Sport. "With the players they brought in the summer and the experience, you would have thought they would be doing better. The players need to look at themselves. Steve spent a lot of money and [the players] haven't responded."

Martin O'Neill has been named as the early favourite to succeed Bruce.