David Moyes has been sacked as Real Sociedad manager after a 2-0 defeat at second-bottom Las Palmas that left the side level on points with the final relegation place.

The favourite to replace him is Eusebio Sacristán, a former head coach at Celta and former B team coach at Barcelona.

When Moyes took over last November, having been sacked by Manchester United, Real Sociedad were 16th, having won only twice in 11 games last season. A year later the team are in virtually the same position, the improvement of the second half of last season long forgotten.

They finished it in 12th place, on 46 points, but now they are 16th again and have won twice in 10 games. Those victories have been away to the bottom two, Levante and Granada, and they are yet to win at home.

The belief in San Sebastián is that the squad should be competing for a place in Europe but that is 10 points off and the latest defeat provoked fears that la Real could be dragged into a relegation battle instead, despite spending €16m on Asier Illarramendi and €7.6m on the striker Jonathas in the summer.

With Sevilla, Barcelona, Villarreal and Real Madrid still to play before the turn of the year, there was little optimism that results will improve quickly.

Moyes has been in charge for la Real for 38 games, the equivalent of a full league season, during which time they have picked up 46 points, with only 11 wins. Last season they finished 12th, 11 points clear of the relegation zone. Now only goal difference separates them from the bottom three.

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