(Vincent Kompany lifts the trophy on May 11th, 2014 - image via Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
The Chilean's future at the club is believed to be safe despite his side losing six of their last eight games in all competitions. Defeats to Liverpool, Burnley and Crystal Palace left Pellegrini hanging onto his position by a rope; the calamity at Old Trafford last weekend reduced the rope to a thread.
Jürgen Klopp's recent announcement comes at a troubling time for the 61-year-old. The German will vacate his post at Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season, but does not plan to take a sabbatical. City are the bookies favourites to land the quirky coach who led his side to the Champions League final against all odds two seasons ago.
Klopp could be the right man to lead a City renaissance. According to Goal.com, as many as fourteen players could leave the Etihad Stadium this summer and City are expected to fill those spots with young, homegrown talent. Klopp, 47, has a fantastic record with young players having overseen the rise of İlkay Gündoğan, Mario Götze and Marco Reus at Signal Iduna Park, and his contagious personality could invigorate a lifeless dressing room. However, City are understood to be more keen on his rival, Pep Guardiola.
(Jurgen Klopp has been heavily linked with the City job after announcing his intention to leave Borussia Dortmund at the end of the season - image via Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
West Ham United are one of the few teams to have endured an even worse run than the Blues in the last six games. Losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, Arsenal and Leicester City have issued a damning blow to Sam Allardyce's ego - the man who boasted that he was the league's 'most sophisticated manager' just two months ago. His side now sit in 9th place and could slump to 11th with a loss on Sunday.
City will be without Vincent Kompany who picked up a groin injury in the 4-2 defeat to Manchester United, but Wilfried Bony could return after a two week lay-off.
The board may be behind Manuel Pellegrini, but a loss on Sunday would certainly change that. The Guardian reported last week that the club would not hesitate to axe the Chilean if they felt Champions League football was at risk. A third consecutive loss would leave City's top four hopes, like their manager's future, hanging by a thread.
Prediction: 3-1
Potential line-up: Hart, Zabaleta, Demichelis, Mangala, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Yaya Touré, Navas, Silva, Nasri, Agüero.
