Let's face it, City's away record is poor and Stoke City are a Championship side, and hardly Chelsea or Arsenal.
But Ashley is waiting to see if Allardyce has the motivation to get his struggling troops back on track, and is not going to back him in the transfer market until the ex-Bolton boss PROVES he is up to the job.
But, just as every Premiership manager has backed every other Premiership manager this season (have you ever heard one say "he should be sacked!"), Eriksson is following suit.
Sven-Goran Eriksson: "Every time you have a team or a club which is not doing exactly what the fans and media expect, the pressure is there. I think we have to live with that.