The unexpected win at Cardiff a fortnight ago certainly brightened the mood around Carrow Road a little, but it will count for nothing if it doesn’t become the springboard for a significant upturn in form.

Going into the break the news that Ashley Barnes and Angus Gunn were closing on full fitness seemed to be an encouraging sign that City’s fortunes might be on the up, but that was somewhat offset by Jon Rowe being sent back from England duty with a training injury and then the reports that Hwang Ui-jo had been questioned by police in South Korea.

The latter situation is obviously one that the new sporting director will be keeping a close eye on, as if it turns out that there is substance to the allegations made against the player the club will no doubt want to act swiftly, as will his parent club, Nottingham Forest.

It’s hardly the sort of potential distraction that Ben Knapper needs so early in his career at City as I’m sure that he will wish to give his full attention to the on-field situation that he has inherited.

The big question currently is how much time he will be prepared, or can afford, to give David Wagner to turn City’s season around, because if he makes the wrong call it could have huge consequences for the club.

As I wrote last week, the season is very much on a knife edge with relatively few points separating sixth place and City’s current position, but unless Wagner can produce a decent run of results over the next few weeks that gap is likely to expand and there is a very real danger that by Christmas any chance of getting into the play-offs could be gone.

The signs were hardly propitious before the Cardiff game, and while the late fightback was encouraging, it was only a small step in the right direction.

Of course, there is also the small matter of a trip to Portman Road next month to face a revitalised Ipswich Town who are on the crest of a wave and have apparently adopted Stuart Webber’s original blueprint of exciting, fear-free football played under the supervision of a young and hungry manager.

Losing games is one thing, but losing to the old enemy is something else entirely, particularly having gone unbeaten for so many years, and already many City fans are dreading a fixture in which the Canaries will be underdogs for the first time in ages.

With five games to go before the derby there is the chance for City to at least build some momentum on the pitch, but off it there is what is likely to be an uncomfortable AGM on November 30.

With the club’s debt continuing to rise, the concept of City being self-funding is completely dead in the water and with relatively few saleable assets in an ageing squad there will inevitably be questions as to what the future holds from concerned fans.

City’s whole approach in recent years has been based on being able to bounce between the Championship and the Premier League, if not becoming established in the top flight, but it’s difficult to see how that can continue if key players have to be sold in order to improve the balance sheet.