Malky Mackay is expected to take charge of Cardiff City at Anfield on Saturday for one of his side's toughest Premier League assignments after flying to Liverpool with his players, but just how much longer he will remain at the helm is up in the air.

Cardiff's maverick own Vincent Tan was heading from his Malaysian base to London to meet with the club chairman Mehmet Dalman for talks over Mackay's future. Earlier in the week Tan had sent the 41-year-old Mackay a dossier of complaints in an e-mail with a pretty clear ultimatum, "resign or face the sack".

The three men are expected to come face-to-face at some stage today when Mackay will once again go about his business and try to add to the 17 points his side has already taken from 16 games to reach 15th in their debut season in the Premier League.

Just who will be managing Cardiff City come the end of the weekend is anyone's guess. The club are apparently considering the credentials of the 60-year-old Yilmaz Vural, who has managed at 20 clubs in his native Turkey, while the bookies' favourite is Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Malky Mackay and his assistant David Kerslake prepare to board their plane at Cardiff Airport. Photograph: Rex

The week began for Mackay when he was publicly criticised by Tan in a club statement and told "not a single penny" would be available to spend in the January transfer window.

Mackay had suggested after his side defeated West Bromwich Albion on Saturday that he wanted to bring in three players in the January transfer window – a defender, a midfielder and a striker.

"I will talk to my chairman who will then discuss it with his board of directors and our owner and I will take my lead from them," he had said. "It's up to them then what financially they want to spend in January. I've got my lists of players whether they be targets or loans and for various positions."

A Cardiff City fan makes a point about the owner Vincent Tan during a protest at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday. Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

The chief executive Simon Lim responded in a statement in which he said: "Tan Sri Vincent Tan was extremely upset to read quotes from the manager concerning the possibility of new recruits, before he had been informed whether funds would be made available," Lim said. "He believes that doing so unfairly raises supporter expectations, placing unnecessary pressure on the club."

Mackay's assistant, Dave Kerslake, was sent out to do the Friday press conference in place of the man who took him with him to the Welsh capital from Watford in the summer of 2011. The press were barred from filming outside the room and from tweeting and blogging during the conference.

Having been put in an impossible position he played a straight bat to increasingly hostile questions.

"I am here just to talk about the Liverpool game tomorrow. I came in this morning and was told to come in and do the press. Malky is in the pavilion now as we speak," said Kerslake.

"As far as we are concerned it is just another game in which we face a wonderfully talented team. We have prepared all this week as professionally as always."

While Mackay kept his powder dry, the Cardiff City faithful made their feelings crystal clear. More than 50 members of the "Bluebirds Unite" group turned up outside Cardiff City Stadium to warn Tan of the consequences of removing Mackay.

"We set up the group 10 months ago because we couldn't sit back and watch the desecration of our football club. We want to enjoy being in the Premier League, but right now we can't because the club is being run like a toy," said their spokesperson Sian Branson.

Malky Mackay in happier times, celebrating promotion to the Premier League last season. Photograph: Michael Mayhew/Sportsphoto/Sportsphoto Ltd./Allstar

"It wouldn't be so bad if there was some economic sense behind it all but there's not even that. There will be banners at Anfield and a lot of fans wearing blue, as there are for most away games.

"But who knows what will happen at the next home game. The fans have had a gut's full. As a group we are trying to calm the fans. but there is only so long you can keep a lid on a bubbling pot.

"The club doesn't seem to care what the fans think and we've felt for a long time the fans at home don't matter. We were told our colours, identity and badge were being stripped to sell to Asian fans, but there's nothing to back that up.

"It's wrong because without the fans here, there wouldn't be a club. We feel sorry for Malky, who is the best manager we've had. He's done a great job and we don't want him to go.

"Tan came in with the money, which was great, and he could have been a hero. Instead he has taken everything we are and now he's taking away our manager."