The buzzards are circling around Manuel Pellegrini as he aims to resurrect Manchester City's Premier League challenge against West Bromwich Albion.
After their midweek Champions League elimination in Barcelona, City's season, and likely the future of their manager, rests on their fading title aspirations.
The heroics of Joe Hart were not enough in the Camp Nou on Wednesday as the Citizens failed to overturn their 2-1 first-leg deficit and reach the quarter-finals of the competition for the first time in their four attempts.
The unsuppressed appetite for European glory within City's boardroom puts Pellegrini's job in jeopardy despite last season's domestic league and cup double.
Defending their title could now be the Chilean's only salvation, and those hopes were delivered what many deemed to be a fatal blow by Burnley last Saturday.
George Boyd's volley at Turf Moor ensured that City would end the weekend six points behind Chelsea at the top of the table, having played a game more.
Saturday lunchtime's visit of West Brom, with Chelsea not facing Queens Park Rangers until Sunday, again opens the door for City to move within striking distance, a chance that was passed up in defeats to Liverpool and Burnley.
Albion have proved difficult to beat under Tony Pulis, though, losing just two of their 10 top-flight games since the Welshman's appointment in late December.
A 1-0 victory over his former club Stoke City sent the Baggies eight points clear of the bottom three and effectively put their relegation worries to bed.
Brown Ideye, who broke his Premier League duck with the consolation in Boxing Day's 3-1 defeat to City, bagged the winner with his seventh of the season.
His strike partner Saido Berahino may be aggrieved to have missed out on today's England squad announcement and will therefore be looking to prove a point to Roy Hodgson at the Etihad Stadium.
Also missing from the 24-man Three Lions party was Ben Foster, who has been ruled out for a month with a knee injury. Boaz Myhill will deputise for him in the Baggies goal, as he did off the bench against Stoke.
Captain Chris Brunt has been banned for one match after admitting an FA misconduct charge and joins Claudio Yacob in being suspended. Jonas Olsson may be recalled and Joleon Lescott asked to fill in at left-back.
Pellegrini has a fully-fit squad to choose from and is expected to revert to the 4-4-2 formation that he abandoned for City's trip to Catalonia, but has proven to be very effective at home to bottom-half opposition.
Wilfried Bony's slow integration into the first XI could continue with another start ahead of Edin Dzeko. Both Pablo Zabaleta and Gael Clichy should be recalled in defence at the expense of Aleksander Kolarov and Bacary Sagna.
Man City:
Form in Premier League: DWWLWL
Form in all competitions: WLLWLL
Possible starting lineup: Hart; Zabaleta, Kompany, Demichelis, Clichy; Nasri, Toure, Fernandinho, Silva; Bony, Aguero
West Brom:
Form in Premier League: DWDWLW
Form in all competitions: WDWLLW
Possible starting lineup: Myhill; Dawson, McAuley, Olsson, Lescott; Gardner, Morrison, Fletcher, Sessegnon; Berahino, Ideye
Sports Mole says: 1-0
Joe Fish
