Former Watford head coach Gianfranco Zola is the overwhelming favourite to take charge at Nottingham Forest following the sacking of Billy Davies.

Zola is as short as 5/6 to take the job at The City Ground with some bookmakers while former Forest player Stuart Pearce is second to Zola, with odds of 4/1.

Davies was sacked following the Reds' 5-0 loss to rivals Derby County at the weekend. The defeat was Forest's seventh league game without a win and saw them drop out of the play off positions.

Zola has been without a club since he left Watford in December. It has been reported Forest have already made contact with the Italian.

However, it appears Zola was not the club’s first choice. Neil Warnock is understood to have already turned down the job claiming there were certain criteria he could not adhere to.

Warnock has subsequently backed both Zola and Pearce to work at the Championship club.