Manuel Pellegrini is on “borrowed time” at West Ham United with David Moyes waiting to see if he is asked to return to the relegation-threatened club.

According to senior West Ham sources Pellegrini is running out of time after a sequence of just two wins in 12 games ahead of Saturday’s clash against Leicester City, which could see them drop into the relegation zone depending on other results.

Moyes, 56, helped turn around the club’s fortunes two years ago when he was appointed to replace Slaven Bilic and is the leading contender to take charge for a second spell. The Scot saw out his six-month deal and left West Ham in 13th place after starting in the relegation zone.

West Ham want to turn to a British manager should Pellegrini be sacked with some senior figures at the club regretting they allowed Moyes to leave in the first place. West Ham’s chances of bringing the former Manchester United manager back have been boosted by Everton’s decision to hire Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager.

Moyes had been holding out in the hope that he would be asked to go back to Everton and was close to getting the job before Ancelotti was sacked by Napoli and expressed his interest.