Rangers next manager: two former Liverpool coaches in frame to replace Giovanni van Bronckhurst

Rangershave sacked Giovanni van Bronckhurst after just a year in charge.

Despite the Dutchman guiding the Ibrox club to the Europa League final last season, as well as Scottish Cup glory, the axe has been wielded. Rangers are nine points behind Celtic in the Scottish title race, while they lost all six group matches in their return to the Champions League this season.

The Gers were thrashed 7-1 by Liverpool at Ibrox in Group A before losing 2-0 at Anfield. Now the search is on for Rangers to find a new manager ahead of the season restarting next month.

Unsurprisingly, Steven Gerrard is among the early favourites with the bookmakers to return to the Gers.

The Liverpool legend spent more than three years in the Ibrox hot seat and memorably guided them to the Scottish Premiership in 2021 - stopping Celtic win a 10th-successive gong in the process.

Gerrard left for Aston Villa in November 2021 but was axed last month amid a poor start to the 2022-23 Premier League season. Gerrard is a 10/1 shot with Sky Bet to land the role.

The Reds’ 2005 Champions League-winning captain served as under-18s boss at Anfield before he moved north of the border.

However, it is Gerrard’s assistant at Rangers, Michael Beale, who is the 7/4 -favourite to land the role. Beale followed Gerrard to Villa but left in the summer to take up his first managerial role at QPR.

The 42-year-old has made a big impression at the Hoops. They sit seventh in the Championship and Beale was courted by Wolves after they parted ways with Bruno Lage earlier this term.

Beale served as Liverpool under-23s chief before leaving to become assistant manager of Brazilian outfit São Paulo in 2017.

*Odds correct at the time of publication.