Football News : EPL strugglers QPR sack boss Warnock

QPR manager Neil Warnock during his last game in charge of the club in an FA Cup tie against MK Dons.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• QPR sack manager Neil Warnock Sunday


• Warnock led QPR back to the English Premier League last season


• QPR owner Tony Fernandes blames poor recent results


• Mark Hughes early favorite to succeed Warnock

(CNN) -- Neil Warnock became the second English Premier League manager to be sacked this season when Queens Park Rangers announced his departure Sunday.

The promoted side have managed just four league wins this season and are hovering a point above the relegation zone.

Only a last-minute goal prevented them from crashing out of the English FA Cup Saturday at third-flight MK Dons, Warnock's final match in charge.

Steve Bruce left Sunderland in November to be replaced by Martin O'Neill.

"Queens Park Rangers Football Club has today parted company with manager Neil Warnock," said a statement on the club's official website.

Malaysian businessman owner Tony Fernandes, who took over the West London club early in the season, gave the reasons for Warnock's exit.

Our recent run of results has seen us slip alarmingly down the table and the board thought it was time for a change
Tony Fernandes

"Sadly, our recent run of results has seen us slip alarmingly down the table and the board thought it was time for a change.

"Neil has acted with honesty, professionalism and integrity throughout his time at the club, and I would personally like to thank him for his significant contribution to QPR over the last 22 months."

Warnock, who led QPR back to the top-flight last season, left proud of his record.

"Obviously I'm very disappointed, but having achieved so much, I leave the club with a great sense of pride.

"My biggest regret is that the takeover didn't happen earlier, because that would have given me the opportunity to bring in the targets I'd pinpointed all last summer and probably given us a better chance to succeed in the Premier League."

Former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is the early favorite to succeed the 63-year-old Warnock at Loftus Road.

Rangers said an announcement on Warnock's successor would be made in "due course."

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