Michael Beale left Sunderland players furious after giving himself the day off but forcing team to go in for training after defeat

Michael Beale took the day off following a defeat whilst he ordered his Sunderland players to come in for training, talkSPORT understands.

The Black Cats have sacked the former Rangers and Queens Park Rangers manager just two months after his appointment.

The club are yet to officially confirm the 43-year-old's departure, but talkSPORT understands an announcement will be made imminently.

It's also understood Beale lost the dressing room, with the Sunderland players particularly unhappy at being made to do extra training after a defeat, while the manager himself took the day off.

Beale and fan favourite Trai Hume appeared to sum up the mood between the players and the manager when the latter was substituted in the 2-1 defeat to his predecessor Tony Mowbray's Birmingham on Saturday.

The ex-Aston Villa first team coach appeared to ignore his defender as he left the field, with fans left furious after images showed Hume extending a hand out to his manager, only to receive nothing in return.

Beale was forced to apologise after the game, writing on social media: "Trai Hume is a fantastic player for our club. He gives everything for his teammates and the staff. I wasn't aware that I missed his handshake until being asked about it post-game. I immediately went to see him to apologise.

"Trai passed a fitness test this morning to play the game and I cannot hold him in higher regard as a man or professional. He is an example of everything that is good about a young footballer and our team."

However, despite his apology, the incident with Hume appears to be the straw that broke the camel's back for the manager's time at the Stadium of Light as well as their back-to-back defeats.

The London-born manager was in charge for just 12 games, winning four and losing six in that time.

Sunderland fans struggled to be convinced by the appointment from the get-go, with Beale being brought in to replace popular manager Mowbray.

Mowbray - who has had to temporarily step down from his role at Birmingham - led Sunderland to a sixth-place finish in their first season back in the Championship following their drop down to League One, but was sacked with the club in ninth.

Meanwhile, Beale was sacked by Rangers in October following a poor start to the season after leaving QPR for a return to the Scottish club during the previous campaign.

The Black Cats are now in tenth place in the Championship, four points off the play-offs, and will now be looking for their third manager of the season.