West Brom: Alan Irvine cannot be confident of staying as manager

West Brom boss Alan Irvine is favourite to become the first Premier League manager to be sacked

Alan Irvine is not sure if he will remain as West Brom manager after the 3-1 home defeat by Manchester City.

The result leaves the Baggies two points above the relegation zone after a run of two wins in 12 games.

Irvine is favourite to become the first Premier League manager to be sacked.

"The chairman will make a decision as far as that is concerned," he said. "I can't control it. Can I be confident about it? Not necessarily, because I don't know what the thinking is."

Irvine, 56, was named as successor to Pepe Mel in June.

Although he had stints in charge of Preston and Sheffield Wednesday, his appointment was regarded as a surprise, with Baggies fans quick to question his appointment after spending three years as head of Everton's academy.

"All I can do is work as hard as I do and keep on trying to get the right kind of performances and results," Irvine said.

Phil Neville, who was at Everton when Irvine was assistant manager at Goodison Park, told Match of the Day: "I think he has what it takes to be a manager at this level.

"You saw that his team were all working for him. The problem is they're getting punished for individual errors. But they should stick with him. He needs to start winning games though."

West Brom have an away game at Stoke on 28 December, followed by a New Year's Day trip to West Ham, before facing non-league Gateshead at the Hawthorns in the FA Cup on 3 January.