Nottingham Forest Sack Sabri Lamouchi - And Instantly Hire Chris Hughton

Nottingham Forest have confirmed the sacking of head coach Sabri Lamouchi, immediately replacing him with former Brighton boss Chris Hughton.

The club's decision comes in the wake of Forest's 2-1 home defeat to high-flyers Bristol City on Saturday afternoon - a result that leaves them 22nd in the Championship table following four defeats from their opening four games.

In a very short, and frankly blunt, statement posted on their official website, the club wrote: "Nottingham Forest can confirm that the contract of head coach Sabri Lamouchi has been terminated with immediate effect."

The Frenchman's departure was inevitable following Forest's fourth consecutive defeat to start the 2020/21 campaign and it's understood that Lamouchi is a target for Qatari outfit Al Duhail.

Forest's Greek owner Evangelos Marinakis hasn't taken long to name his successor, confirming former Brighton boss Hughton as his replacement.

Hughton has been out of a job since his surprise sacking from the Seagulls in 2019, and brings with him a wealth of Championship experience. He's lifted both Newcastle and Brighton into the Premier League, establishing both as top flight clubs, and has also been in charge of Norwich City at the highest level.

The writing's been on the wall for Lamouchi ever since he guided Forest to a monumental collapse at the end of his debut season. A 4-1 defeat at home on the final day to a middle of the road Stoke City side saw them lose their play-off spot to Swansea City on goal difference, as Lamouchi's men collected just three points from their final six games.

Marinakis, though, held off giving Lamouchi the sack in the summer and instead offered the French string-puller support by adding 13 players to Forest's ranks in the current transfer window as well as altering the Frenchman's backroom staff.

The owner's patience, however, has now run out with his club's demise continuing into 2020/21. Lamouchi becomes the second departed Championship manager of the season after Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber opted to take the role as New York Red Bulls head coach in MLS.