Manchester City could turn to their own version of Tim Sherwood

With Manuel Pellegrini just 1/6 to be leave Manchester City before the start of next season at Ladbrokes the clamour to identify a potential successor has already started in earnest.

The Sky Blues look set to surrender their Premier League title rather meekly while Barcelona were undoubtedly the superior team over two legs against the Citizens.

Should Pellegrini go, with the Chilean just 3/1 to leave before the end of the season, then those behind the scenes at the Etihad may need to go back to the drawing board.

The current favourite to replace the South American coach is Carlo Ancelotti at 6/4 with Diego Simeone 4/1 and Pep Guardiola back at 10/1.

However with those three managers occupying posts at some of Europe’s biggest clubs already, it remains debatable as to whether City would even be able to tempt them on to English shores.

Instead, Manchester City could take a leaf out of Tottenham’s book and instead look inwards for a managerial replacement.

Tim Sherwood landed the Spurs job last season after Andre Villas-Boas was dismissed, having previously overseen the club’s under-21 outfit.

A Premier League winning captain best remembered for his time at another top-flight English club, yet with an eye for blooding in youth talent, Sherwood has more in common with Patrick Vieira than you would have first thought.

Reserve team and Elite Development squad manager for the past two seasons, the World Cup winner has proven himself to be as much a leader on the pitch as he is off it.

Under Vieira’s guidance, Manchester City qualified top of their group in the UEFA Youth League, above both AS Roma and Bayern Munich, with six wins from six.

Beaten by the Italian club in somewhat controversial circumstances in the quarter-finals this week, the former Arsenal man has nevertheless done enough to impress in some quarters.

Bild reported earlier today that Vieira has been earmarked as the potential new manager of the Bayern Munich under-23 side after impressing at the Etihad.

But should City be giving him a chance to manage the first-team? Should Pellegrini leave before the end of the season, it could prove a worthwhile experiment to allow the 38-year-old to take the reins.

Drawing comparisons with Sherwood may draw smirks from some, but with the likes of Harry Kane thriving at White Hart Lane thanks to his efforts at Tottenham, it’s debateable as to whether Spurs are much better off under Mauricio Pochettino.

And if Barcelona had never taken a chance on a football legend impressing with a youth side, we would never have had Guardiola.

Vieira is 10/1 to get the job on a permanent basis and we’ve definitely seen stranger things happen at City.