'I hope we continue to give effort, commitment and show pride in the Leicester shirt. As long as we we do that and give the fans hope for the future, then I will be satisfied.
'We were not embarrassed tonight. We did show some pride and that's all that I can ask. But in the end we did not have enough quality.'
A young manager who has been through the wringer this season, Adams spoke candidly. There is, after all, little point offering your supporters hope when they can see that there isn't any.
Leicester face Blackburn at Ewood Park this weekend and then entertain Manchester City and Portsmouth in their next two home games. At least it offers the prospect of some excitement but whether Adams can find the two wins - at least - that he needs is open to question.
For little short of an hour, United found themselves matched stride for stride by their lowly opponents. Had captain Muzzy Izzet not snatched at a chance presented to him by Roy Carroll's miscued clearance in the second minute, then Leicester may have taken the lead.
As it was, however, they could not make the most of their possession and, when an unmarked Marcus Bent headed wide just before half-time, it was not difficult to suspect that their chance of an upset had evaporated.
So it transpired. United raised the level of their game a little in the second period and, driven on by the enthusiastic presence of Cristiano Ronaldo, found a way to goal in the 56th minute.
Having brought a low save from Ian Walker a minute earlier, Ronaldo received possession thanks to a terrific pass from Gary Neville on the left hand side of the penalty box.
When he dragged his shot wildly across goal, Nikos Dabizas could only divert the ball into Neville's path and watch as the right back scored with the relish of a man who had not done so for three seasons.
Sadly, the game was up for Leicester at that moment. Three substitutes were thrown on by Adams but to little avail. Instead, United continued to play with more fluency, with Ronaldo particularly effective.
Walker denied the Portugal forward with a plunging save at his left-hand post, while Paul Scholes saw the the Leicester keeper divert one of his rising drives over the crossbar and into the Stretford End.
For United, their late flurry was one that could not paper over the cracks of a poor performance. Sir Alex Ferguson was also upset to see the habitually awful Diego Forlan storm down the tunnel after being substituted.
At least Ferguson has an FA Cup Final and the chance of second place in the Premiership to look forward to. Adams is not so lucky.
The United manager said: 'We were scrappy in our game. We did not have much fluency. But it was important that we keep close to Chelsea.'
