The vultures will hover over Upton Park this Sunday when free-falling West Ham United welcome Blackburn Rovers.

Sir Alex Ferguson, no less, called for an end to the culture of sacking managers at the first sign of trouble but that plea could fall on deaf ears in the east end of London.

Hammers boss Alan Pardew, whose side were defeated 2-1 at lowly Chesterfield in the Carling Cup in midweek, insisted he would not take himself out of the firing line - even if his side crash to their ninth successive defeat.

Pardew has been given a dreaded vote of confidence by his board but that might produce its usual counter-effects in the wake of a Rovers victory.

Some good news on the Upton Park front is that veteran striker Teddy Sheringham could shrug off a knee injury to put his shoulder to the wheel against the Ewood Park men.

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is without midfielder Robbie Savage who serves a one-match suspension after accumulating five bookings.

But we reckon that loss will not affect the result of this match too much.
We have a gut feeling - no more - that the Hammers will get it right this time in front of their disgruntled fans.

At 11/8 with Betterbet.com, the home side are a decent price to stop the rot. One suspects however, that it may only be temporary.