Special: Is Pellegrini on Bought Time at City?

The club's most recent result at Crystal Palace being an underwhelming 2-1 defeat, calls for manager Manuel Pellegrini's dismissal have been louder than ever. Similar shouts in the social media world were heard after the 1-0 defeat at Burnley, arguably the lowest point in a season full of lows for the Citizens.

However the Abu Dhabi ownership group has showed reluctance to pull the trigger. No official word has been released from the club at all throughout this period, while when quizzed Pellegrini talks of no external pressure and that he is not concerned about his job. The accurateness of these words are questionable, but they have made the rumor mill spin even stronger.

In my opinion Pellegrini is treading on thin ice. He seems to always deliver when it is truly win-or-you're-out. Sheikh Mansour couldn't have sacked him straight after the Burnley game: the Champions League Round of 16 clash against Barcelona was in four days time. Doing that would’ve been idiotic and suicidal; imagine Ruben Cousillas and Brian Kidd standing on the touchlines on a European night.

The Sheikh also can't sack him now, days before the Manchester Derby. Pride in the city cannot be sacrificed no matter what. Brian Kidd can’t perform under the spotlight at Old Trafford which he played his trade for a few seasons. And Cousillas? That won’t work, we just know it.

But why is Pellegrini coming under such fire? First of all, football is a results business and results have been poor. Apparently this is our worst run of form since the weeks before Mark Hughes left the club all those years ago. The press also loves to feed on stories, and the fact that last season's champions are crumbling into fourth after being level with Chelsea on New Year's Day with pretty much the same squad is too much for them to handle. We've been under par this season, except for November and December, and the fact that it only takes me a few seconds to post that onto Twitter makes this whole saga worse than the Hughes situation. Back then iPhones weren't a thing.

I feel like I'm repeating myself here, but Pellers needs to prove his credentials between now and the end of the season. His incredible exploits in his first season can save him his job so far. He gave us a domestic double, and led us to the Champions League Round-of-16 for the first time in the competition’s history. The football played during the winter months of the 2013-14 season was some of the best football I’ve even seen.

It will be unfair to him if he leaves in the summer, because circumstances have been tough this season and not very helpful. World Cup hangover played its part in the early stages of the season. A brilliant Chelsea side that truly are the “big horses” Jose Mourinho promised last season. Yaya Toure’s AFCON duty came when the team was at the pinnacle of its season; looking back, we’ve never played the same since. And tough Champions League opponents: CSKA Moscow, Bayern Munich and Barcelona two seasons in a row isn’t a piece of cake.

Modern day football is rapid and fast and often do not allow off seasons like this. Let's wait until the season is over then reflect and ponder – given history with Manchester City, you never know what we can pull out of the bag. Until then, anticipate and just think about and enjoy (if possible) the seven games left before the summer. Starting with the Manchester Derby on Sunday that no one is looking forward to.

By Rob Ming