Bob Bradley's fate as Swansea City manager could be decided before the Jan. 3 clash against Crystal Palace, with owners Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan growing increasingly concerned about results and the anger of the club's supporters, high-ranking sources have told ESPN FC.
Levien and Kaplan, who in October appointed Bradley, the former U.S. national team coach, ahead of Ryan Giggs after the dismissal of Francesco Guidolin, remain determined to back the 58-year-old and are hopeful that additions to the squad in January will trigger a revival on the pitch.
But with Swansea's 4-1 defeat at home to West Ham United on Boxing Day leaving the Welsh club four points from safety in the relegation zone, sources have told ESPN FC that Levien and Kaplan are alarmed by the situation the team now finds itself in.
The American co-owners are said to be keen not to sack Bradley, who has collected just eight points from a possible 33 since taking charge of the club.
But the pair, who took over the club in April, are also described as "realists" who are aware that a corrosive combination of poor results and hostility from the terraces will do little to help the club escape the relegation battle.
Bradley has been given free rein in compiling a list of targets for the January transfer window, and Levien and Kaplan are prepared to press ahead with those plans if the manager can allay their fears during talks later this week, sources said.
But with Bournemouth due to visit the Liberty Stadium on Saturday, three days before the potentially crucial trip to Selhurst Park to face Palace, the outcome of the game against Eddie Howe's team -- both on and off the pitch -- will be pivotal in deciding Bradley's future.
And with Palace attempting to kick-start their season last week by replacing Alan Pardew with former England manager Sam Allardyce, the Swansea owners are aware that if they must act to save their club's Premier League status, they must act quickly.
Swansea defender Alfie Mawson insists the players, not their manager, are to blame for the club's current turmoil.
"It is never nice to hear those things, but it is football and it can be cruel at times," Mawson said of the crowd's angry reaction to the seventh defeat of Bradley's reign.
"We understand that, but the manager is not out on the pitch. He is not the one out there on the field making mistakes.
"I am not going to have a dig at the fans. In football you expect some explanation for what is happening, and we just don't have it at the moment. I cannot question why the fans turned, because losing 4-1 at home is not good enough, but hopefully we get can them back on our side."
The West Ham defeat was another poor defensive showing for Swansea, who have now conceded a league-high 41 goals -- 29 of them under Bradley. Swansea have conceded at least three goals in eight of Bradley's 11 games.
Players have regularly spoken about an extra intensity in training since Bradley arrived at the club.
"The manager has great attention to detail, on the finer details of the game," Mawson said.
"But it does not show because we are making mistakes and not executing well enough. That is down to us.
"He is so upbeat on the training ground, he is very positive with us and has worked hard to keep morale up.
"It is hard because we are the ones who put ourselves in this situation. He came in at a bad time. We are all behind him, but we have to get through it together. We are men, and we have to man up and go again."
Information from Press Association Sport was used in this report