"We were naive to lose the game but unlucky as well. Sunderland played very direct in the second half and scored with three headers. Our defending, especially in the air, was a weak point and I'm disappointed because I like this competition for the chance it gives you to have belief in young players you think will do well.
"We did not deserve to lose and there were plus points with Pires and van Bronckhorst looking sharper and continuing their comebacks. Jeffers also impressed me, especially in the first half.
"But I'll leave any talk of a crisis here to the newspapers. Don't get me started on that, but I must still say that out of the matches we've lost two were Champions League games that had low impact and now there's another in the Worthington Cup.
"We have a massive game against Newcastle in the championship here on Saturday."