Sven-Göran Eriksson is under pressure from Thaksin Shinawatra, the Manchester City chairman, as the club struggle to qualify for next season’s Uefa Cup, but Thaksin’s advisers have warned him that he would be making a serious error if he decided to remove the former England head coach.

Thaksin is understood to have reprimanded Eriksson over a downturn in form since January and is known to be contemplating a change of manager, but the former Prime Minister of Thailand has been advised that such a decision would represent a backward step.

Eriksson has the support of Alistair Mackintosh, the club’s chief executive, and of Pini Zahavi, the “super-agent” who advises Thaksin. One source said: “No decision has been made, but the owner [Thaksin] was expecting better results. At the start he was happy, but since the team started to lose he has lost patience. He is not a football man. His opinion is clouded by the first few months. He does not understand that Eriksson has performed miracles with average players.”

Eriksson’s fate is likely to be dictated by results, and their 2-1 win away to Sunderland on Saturday was a step in the right direction. The manager has a list of targets – including Luka Modric, the Dynamo Zagreb midfield player, and Peter Crouch, the Liverpool forward – but a priority is agreeing a new contract with Richard Dunne, the captain. “I am quite sure it will be sorted out,” Eriksson said.