The pressure is firmly on West Ham. With none of City's rivals winning yesterday and a huge game coming next Saturday against fellow strugglers Brighton, anything gained from the game today will be a bonus.
Looking at current form though City are the team who may fancy this one. 3 wins and a draw in the 4 league games in January won Lennie the Manager of the Month Award. West Ham in the same period have won 1 but lost the last 3.
"We need to start quickly on Sunday and really get the crowd backing us, because when the Upton Park fans are really behind their team it can be very intimidating for the opposition," Alan Pardew told his club's official website www.whufc.com.
"Our home record has been excellent this season, but results have dipped in the last few weeks and we need to put that right on Sunday.
"Results haven't been what we were looking for so far this year, but the players are still in good spirits.
Lennie knows the pressure Pardew is under. A City win today could see fan pressure get Pardew the boot
"I don't want to see Alan Pardew get the sack, but managers getting sacked does happen. It's happened to me a few times," Lawrence told the Echo.
"No manager likes being the one who gets another manager sacked."
Quite ironic don't you think? After Lennie has been fighting to save his job for months.
On the pitch City welcome back Peter Thorne. He will partner Alan Lee up front with Camerone Jerome still injured.
Stuart Fleetwood should be the attacking cover on the bench.
That's likely to be the only change from the team that beat Burnley in the last game played over two weeks ago. Neil Alexander will keep his place, Inamoto is here, not having to go to Japan. City have not lost a league game he's played in. Jobi McAnuff returns to Upton Park to face his former team mates.
"We're not just grinding out results - we're also playing good football and everyone is working hard.," Jobi told the Echo
"Now we've got the chance of putting one over West Ham and that is seen as an achievement in this division.
"But if things aren't going well then the fans start getting on your back there, and that's why I think they find playing at home more difficult."
"I don't want to see Alan Pardew lose his job at West Ham," Jobi continued
"But being manager of West Ham is a tough job. It's a massive club which is geared for the Premier League."
McAnuff scored for City in the 4 - 1 home wn over the Hammers at Ninian park earlier in the season and a win today would see a first league double for the Bluebirds.
City expected to line up
Alexander, Weston, Gabbidon, Collins, Barker, McAnuff, Inamoto, Kavanagh, Langley, Lee, Thorne.
Subs: Warner, Vidmar, Bullock, Ledley, Fleetwood.
West Ham likely
Bywater, Mackay, Ferdinand, Cohen, Powell, Mullins, Chadwick, Fletcher, Sheringham, Noble, Harewood. Subs: Kuciak, Brevett, Reo-Coker, Rebrov, Zamora.