Aston Villa have called a crisis meeting in New York to discuss how they can save their season after another dismal weekend for the Premier League’s bottom club and with a growing mutiny among their disillusioned fanbase.

The chief executive, Tom Fox, is flying out on Monday for talks with the owner, Randy Lerner, to see if there is any way the damage can be repaired by using the current transfer window to bring in new players.

Fox will be accompanied by the sporting director, Hendrik Almstadt, on the back of the 1-1 draw against Wycombe Wanderers in the FA Cup on Saturday, when their failure to beat a League Two side culminated in angry scenes involving the away supporters. As well as chants of “You’re not fit to wear the shirt” towards the players, Villa’s fans also turned on the manager, Rémi Garde, who has now been in charge for 10 games without a victory.

Garde’s players were abused as they boarded the team coach and, while the game was going on, the captain, Micah Richards, went behind the dugout to speak to a section of fans who had been venting their anger. Richards, who had been taken off with an injury, assured the supporters the players were trying their best. It was claimed on a Villa fan website that the captain intervened to calm the situation after two senior players told their own supporters to “fuck off”.

Wycombe fight back against Aston Villa with Joe Jacobson spot-on Read more

With the threat of a protest in the replay at Villa Park, Garde is hoping to be given the financial backing to make new signings. However, Villa’s position is so perilous the club are also acutely aware it will not be easy to attract players.

“It’s important and I hope I will achieve that, I don’t know yet,” Garde said. “I’m still happy about the team, I’m still believing they are trying to do their best but at some point you have to recognise that if they are doing their best and we are still not winning then there is a problem.”

Garde, who was targeted with chants of “You don’t know what you’re doing” after substituting Carles Gil, described himself as open to the idea of using a psychologist to help repair the players’ confidence. Yet, on his point about the players’ effort, there are statistics that show they are repeatedly outrun in matches.

“I’ve got some players who, to be fair, are struggling with minor injuries,” Garde said. “They cannot train as much as I would like and then it’s a problem. But I know these figures and I’m concerned about that. Running is not the only way to win games. Football is not just athleticism, it’s a question of technique, tactics and mentality. But this is a very important point and every game the opponents are running more than us.

“We have to be professional, we have to face our responsibility and do more. The level of the team is always impacted by one or two players not playing at their best. I didn’t see enough difference between the two squads. I’ve got a lot of respect for Wycombe, especially after the game, but we have to question ourselves and wonder why we didn’t win.”

Man of the match Aaron Pierre (Wycombe)