Malky Mackay
Malky Mackay should expected to be sacked if he does not resign Reuters

Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay has been told to leave the club or face being sacked by owner Vincent Tan.

Tan supposedly criticised the Scot in a number of areas in an emailed to Mackay on Monday although a Cardiff spokesman claims he was not part to any letter being sent.

The letter in question was said to have highlighted not only poor results on the pitch but also problems with style of play, transfer budgets and signings.

The 41-year-old, who will wait to hear his fate on Friday morning, has previously said that he will not resign.

Former England manager Graham Taylor, who worked with Mackay when he chaired Watford believes that Mackay should hold his ground and not resign.

"Malky has an inner strength and I see no reason why he would resign," Taylor told BBC Radio 5 live.

"Let them sack you Malky, is what I would say to him. He has a contract and if one party pulls out of it they should be made to pay up the remainder of that contract."

He added: "Who is Tan to know these things? Yes, from an ownership point of view and financial point of view, of course he has some knowledge. But in terms of situations from a football point of view, what does he know about the game? What does he know about professional football?"

The odds are however against Mackay who is odds on to become the sixth Premier League manager to leave their post this season.

Paolo di Canio, Ian Holloway, Martin Jol, Steve Clarke and Andre Villas-Boas have already departed this term.

Tan's discontent was heightened when ex-Scotland international Mackay revealed he was hoping to buy three new players in the upcoming January transfer window.

The decleration highlighted one of Tan's major concerns around a suspected overspend of the transfer budget agreed between Mackay, Cardiff chief executive Simon Lim and a head of recruitment Iain Moody, who left in October.

The owner claims that the total budget was £35m but in the end £50m including add-ons was spent over the summer on striker Andreas Corneilus, defender Steven Caulker and midfielder Gary Medel among others.

Mackay and Moody denied these claims insisting that £35m was agreed for the transfer fees alone and that Lim and Tan had no complaints about this figure rising with add-ons.