Robson spared Dowie's fate... for now

But former England captain Robson, under heavy fire from fans, still faces a grilling from anxious Bramall Lane chief Kevin McCabe after being given just two more games to save his job.

McCabe, United's Brussels-based plc chairman, is to summon both Robson and football club chairman Terry Robinson to crisis talks on Wednesday, Sportsmail can reveal.

Robinson orchestrated Robson's appointment last summer and is being held equally accountable for a season of under-achievement that has sparked repeated calls for the manager's head.

Both men will be asked to outline their strategy for an immediate revival after the protest hardened into a 'Robson Out' demonstration by 1500 fans after Saturday's 0-0 home draw with ten-man Scunthorpe.

Robson, who faces former clubs West Brom tonight (tues) and Middlesbrough in the FA Cup on Sunday, still enjoys McCabe's support but is in no doubt that he is on borrowed time.

Since Robson was called to an initial emergency meeting last month - after which McCabe publicly demanded 'a run of victories' - United have drawn all three of their Championship matches.

But the Robson factor was central to the BBC cherry-picking Sunday's FA Cup fifth-round tie with Boro for live screening, thereby boxing in a Bramall Lane board who, it is thought, might otherwise have acted.

McCabe has had little option but to give Robson six days grace, but the Cup run is not a guaranteed lifeline, even if United were to claim a third Premiership scalp and reach the quarter-finals.

Victories over Bolton and Manchester City are viewed as a double edged sword for Robson, in that they bear out McCabe's belief that his squad should at least be challenging for a return to the Premiership.

Instead Sheffield are closer to the bottom three than a play-off spot despite losing once in eight games.

Pressure is mounting for him to meet the board halfway amid transfer restrictions but Robson, with two more seasons on contract, is holding firm against his critics inside and outside the club.

Barring a heavy defeat at The Hawthorns tonight, Robson's fate appears to rest on the Cup tie and, more specifically, the following week's League game at Queens Park Rangers.

Tony Mowbray, who succeeded the sacked Robson at West Brom, believes he is suffering from the weight of expectation at Sheffield United following their controversial relegation last May.

Mowbray has been awarded a new three-and-a-half year contract by Albion chairman Jeremy Peace after establishing the club at the forefront of the battle for automatic promotion.

He said: "Bryan is having to deal with expectations as they are not in the top six and they want to be vying for promotion. He still believes they can get into the play-offs - I wish him all the best, but not tonight."

Peace said: "We believe Tony is one of the brightest managerial prospects around and it's been no surprise to us that his name has been linked with jobs at a higher level."

Mowbray added: "I'm delighted the club have offered me a new contract. It gives us some longer term stability and hopefully the continuity to take us into the Premier League, where I want to manage."

Meanwhile, Nigel Pearson, who walked out on troubled Newcastle on Friday, has emerged as the favourite to succeed Dowie, who was fired along with assistant Tim Flowers by chairman Ray Ranson.

Pearson, 44, worked as assistant to both Glenn Roeder and Sam Allardyce in his year at St James' Park, but resigned after reportedly becoming 'disillusioned' under Kevin Keegan's new regime.

Dowie engineered a Carling Cup triumph at Old Trafford and FA Cup success at Ewood Park, but Ranson reacted swiftly after a 1-0 defeat at Preston left Coventry four points off a relegation spot.

Coventry want a young, go-ahead boss. England Under-21 assistant manager Pearson heads a shortlist that also includes Walsall's Richard Money and newly-available former Fulham boss Chris Coleman.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis insists he has not been lined up to take charge of tonight's opponents Southampton despite heavy betting that the Bournemouth-based boss will succeed George Burley.

Pulis said: "Being two points off automatic promotion, do you think I will leave? It's ridiculous really. Southampton is a fantastic football club, but I have a job to do at Stoke and I'm happy here."