Pellegrini admits sacking could be on the cards

Under-pressure West Ham United manager Manuel Pellegrini says he may be out of a job if the London club do not beat fellow Premier League strugglers Southampton on Saturday.

West Ham are 16th on 16 points, a point above Southampton, who occupy 18th spot and are in the relegation zone.

West Ham have collected just five points from their last 10 games and Pellegrini is the odds-on favourite with bookmakers to be the next Premier League boss to leave, ahead of Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuettl.

“What I really need is to win the game but maybe I’m not in my job on Monday,” Chilean Pellegrini told a pre-match news conference. “Having just five points from this many games is not good enough.”

British media had reported that the 66-year-old was on the verge of being sacked after West Ham lost 3-1 at home to London rivals Arsenal on Monday.

“I said from the beginning that I came here to ... try to play another way than West Ham played in all the other seasons and not for just fighting relegation,” he said.

“It is not my goal. And if I am not in that position, of course I’m not happy.”