Ian Wright fears for his mate Alan Pardew’s future at Crystal Palace this weekend.
Five defeats on the bounce have seen Palace plunge down the table with memories still fresh from last season’s post Christmas drop in form.
According to some reports Pardew must win tomorrow at Swansea or face the sack.
“If Palace lose to Swansea, we will hear some serious rumblings,” Wright told Shaun Custis during the Sunsport podcast.
“They’ve got to win this one. When you’ve got Sam Allardyce out of work, the pressure mounts.
“Whatever Palace fans might think of Sam, they do not want to go down. I’d be absolutely gutted for Pards if he got the sack because he’s my friend but how can I defend how long this has been going on for Palace?”
Pardew was given the red carpet treatment when he returned to manage Palace in January 2015 after starring in the 1990 FA Cup Final side alongside Wright.
Those days are long gone however with boardrooms desperate to hang on to the £100m plus income guaranteed by Premier League football.
Since drawing at Everton at the end of September Palace haven’t picked up a point setting off alarm bells in the boardroom.
A win over Swansea could send Palace into mid-table but anything less and it seems that Pardew will be on his way with former England boss Allardyce certain to be a front runner to take charge.