Norwich City's players understand the seriousness of the club's predicament – and that of Neil Adams – according to Jonny Howson.

For most supporters, the Canaries' bid for Championship promotion hit crisis point with Saturday's home defeat to Reading at the weekend.

Adams remains in post, with Malky Mackay's Wigan – a Premier League club 18 months ago, but currently sitting in the bottom three – awaiting City at the DW Stadium on Saturday.

'I think you know in yourself (how serious the situation is),' said Howson. 'We're obviously struggling for form at the minute and the way football is these days, everyone wants instant success. They want it there and then. That's part and parcel of football these days.

'We've said it for a few weeks – in general play we feel we're doing all right. It's just mistakes that we've got to cut out. And we can't keep saying it – we've got to go out there and do it.'

Howson added: 'Very much so (Adams should be given more time). It's up to us as players to go out there and cut out these silly mistakes.'

Mike Phelan's introduction as first-team coach alongside manager Adams and Gary Holt had only ran for two days before Saturday's defeat – and so the theory goes, City's corridors of power may well hope a full week's work at Colney can offer better judgement on the situation.

'It should help,' said Howson. 'He's come in, he's new in, he's spoken to a few of us. But I'm sure that will take time. Someone of his experience is always welcome on board. Certainly with what he's done in the game, especially at Manchester United, he's won everything with them, worked with world-class players world-class staff.

'So I think no matter what team you are in the world, to have someone like him on board is only going to be a positive.'