Chris LakeyGary Doherty admits City fans are due a good performance from their team. The table-topping Canaries lost at home in the league for the first time since opening day at the weekend - having struggled to hit the heights in recent games.Chris Lakey

Gary Doherty admits City fans are due a good performance from their team.

The table-topping Canaries lost at home in the league for the first time since opening day at the weekend - having struggled to hit the heights in recent games.

But Doherty says there's no time like the present to put things right.

'Once you get to the top you don't want to take your foot off the gas, you want to motor on and make it pretty much impossible for teams to catch you,' he said. 'Obviously we had a terrible performance - personally and as a team - no one really performed on Saturday, so that's something we have got to put right and there is no better time to do it really than Tuesday night in front of your own fans.

'Night games are always terrific at Carrow Road, it is always something that you look forward to. It's great playing under the lights in front of a great crowd. There will be 25,000 there tomorrow cheering us on and we have got to give them something to cheer really, because of late we haven't.'

Even with two defeats in their last three, City still have an enviable record of 21 points from their last 27. But Doherty knows there is some pressure on places.

'I think there should be all the time - no one can be guaranteed their place no matter how good a run you've been on, and of late we have slipped up in those two games,' said the centre-half. 'It's going to put a bit more pressure on the players playing and it is up to the players playing to keep performing, to keep in the team, to keep getting points and keep us at the top of the table.

'Once your performances start dipping the team performance starts dipping and obviously the club starts dipping and that is something we can't afford to happen.

'Obviously we've had to go on a terrific run to get ourselves in this position, but now is when the hard work really starts.

'Teams that have been top have pretty much slipped up of late and we don't want to be a team like that as well. We want to stay at the top. We've worked hard to be here and we want to make sure we stay here.'

Leeds have won just once in their last eight games, while Charlton have lost half the points available in the same number of outings, with both teams under intense pressure from Colchester, who have moved into third place after four wins in their last five games.

So is City's most recent form a blip - and is it just a minor one at that?

'We have to make sure it is,' said Doherty. 'The only way we can do that is by going out tomorrow and winning. They (Leeds and Charlton) have dropped off a lot, but also it shows how tough this league can be.

'When you see how good Southampton were on Saturday and you see that they are only mid-table and even with their 10 points they are still outside the play-offs. It is a tough league, there is no give in games, but the disappointing thing is with our home form we felt pretty much unstoppable at home and that's put a bit of a dent into that and we have to go out tomorrow and get the confidence back and start winning again.

'Colchester have been on a great run - they're doing what we want to be doing, which is winning games.'

While Doherty - and the fans -m might crave a performance and three points tonight, the fact of the matter is that a win is the most valuable return.

'With our goal difference we probably couldn't care less whether we win games three or four nil, we just need to get three points on the board, that's the main thing from this point to the end of the season,' he said.

'I'd take 14 mucky 1-0s to be honest - we are in a position where it is in our hands now. We win every game and we will win the title. It does sound easy, but we know how hard it is going to be.'