EXCLUSIVE: Shape up, Manchester City owner Thaksin tells Sven

Despite the City manager spending in excess of £50million since taking over at the club last summer, City's recent form has seen them slide towards mid-table and away from the UEFA Cup places.

Sportsmail understands that former Thai prime minister Thaksin has grown increasingly concerned about the performance of Eriksson's team and will look for signs in the last six games of the season that improvement and progress are imminent next term.

While there is absolutely no short-term threat to Eriksson's position, it is understood Thaksin will monitor closely what happens between now and the end of the season.

For the former England coach, the remaining half- dozen games - which begin at home to Chelsea this weekend - are of increasing importance.

Chairman and manager have enjoyed a healthy relationship since Thaksin bought City for £80m and then appointed 60-year-old Eriksson.

But City's poor form since the turn of the year has worried the Thai, who is keen to see his club become a force in both the Premier League and in Europe as quickly as possible.

Despite recording a historic double over Manchester United this season, City have won just three of their last 15 Premier League games and were poor in losing to Birmingham on Saturday at St Andrew's.

It is understood Thaksin has been disturbed by City's decline and is also concerned about what he sees as poor entertainment from Eriksson's team, his coach's 'inconsistent' team selection and an inability to sell out the 45,000-capacity City of Manchester Stadium regularly.

The Swede is the club's most popular manager for years - both inside and outside the club - and most football judges recognise he will need three or four years to turn City into the force Thaksin wants.

Last Thursday, Eriksson himself acknowledged this when he said: "This is a long-term project, longer than two or three years. But that's fine."

Senior figures inside City feel that they have the right man in Eriksson and that the foundations for progress are in place. They also feel that an average home gate of around the 40,000 mark more than stands in comparison with others outside the English top four.

But what could count against Eriksson in the longer term - and, indeed, anyone who works under Thaksin - is the owner's impatience for a quick return on his investment.

The impetus behind Thaksin's initial purchase of City has always been his desire to raise his popularity and profile back in Thailand, where he was deposed as Prime Minister in September 2006.

Thaksin has recently returned to Asia to fight corruption charges levelled against him and feels that the tide of popularity has turned back in his favour. But he sees the success of his football club as being crucial to his long-term standing at home and therefore feels that progress must come quickly.

Having noted how Eriksson's team set such high standards early on during a run of form which saw them in the top five for many weeks, Thaksin cannot understand how his team have fallen away.

Executives at City will back Eriksson and will counsel Thaksin in the manager's favour if asked.

Last night a City spokesman said: "The chairman's backing for Sven remains absolute. To suggest otherwise would be nonsense."