Steve Bruce has been told that his job as manager of Birmingham City is safe, but chairman David Gold insists that results must improve soon.
Bruce slammed his players' performance as they crashed 4-1 at Manchester City on Saturday as 'pathetic and inept' as they slipped to 19th in the table.
But once again Gold has leapt to the defence of the Blues manager ahead of a daunting festive programme which sees league fixtures with Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Gold said: "We are in a critical situation with our league position and we've got some difficult games coming up.
"There are other teams in the battle with us and it will be a question of whether we are good enough to get ahead of three of them by the end of the season.
"It is simple as that. It is not brain surgery. We are in the most difficult situation we've been in since I've been at the club.
"But Steve's job isn't in jeopardy. He has got to get on with things and resolve it for us. That's what he does for a living and we expect him to give it his very best and get us out of this mess."
City's co-owner David Sullivan has already gone on record to state that Bruce will not be sacked even if Birmingham are relegated.
