SUNDERLAND boss Peter Reid had one simple message to his new front-line after last night's 3-0 derby defeat to Middlesbrough : 'You can do better.'

Following the shock news that star striker Kevin Phillips has been ruled out for up to six weeks after a hernia operation, £10m double act Tore Andre Flo and Marcus Stewart started their first game together at the Riverside.

But disappointed Reid believes his side have a lot of improvement to make if they are to cope in the absence of hot-shot Phillips.

"I thought Stewart did alright," said the Black Cats chief. "But I thought Tore could do a little bit better to be quite honest.

"The last four games we have had good performances but this one is the first where we have been beaten easily.

"The two wide men had a lot of balls into the box but our forwads just did not get on the end of them.

"But we have to give credit to the Middlesbrough defence because they were brilliant - but it was disappointing we did not get on the end of the crosses.

"I thought Matt Piper was different class and got a lot of good crosses in but we did not get on the end of them."

And Reid is hoping Phillips can make a quick return after going under the knife.

"It's not the same side as it was last season," he said. "He went to see the specialist on Monday and I just thought it was a routine examination and I was told it was a hernia problem that needed a quick decision.

"I thought it was only fair to him because he played through the pain barrier at times last season, and we decided he should have surgery.

"We have got the two week break because of England's game with Slovakia coming up and we thought it might be a good time to do it.

"They are telling me he'll be out for between three and six weeks. It was a blow for us to lose him but the decision was made."

Boro's three goals were the first Sunderland have conceded in the Premiership on their travels this season.

But Steve McClaren's attacking triumvirate - Szilard Nemeth, Massimo Maccarone and Joseph Job - proved too big a problem for the visitors' backline.

And Reid said: "I thought they were a handful. And I don't think our two international centre-backs were able to cope with the turns. I just don't think you can afford to do that at this level."

And the Sunderland boss admitted that goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen's blunder for the opening goal was a costly error.

"When 'keepers make mistakes it's invariably a goal," said Reid. "But to allow Maccarone to turn was a mistake, and then his shot was spilled by Sorensen and Nemeth got on the end of it."

Nemeth's double came on 16 and 66 minutes with a Maccarone header sandwiched in between - a scoreline which has lifted Boro into fourth spot.

And Riverside boss Steve McClaren was delighted with his front-men, he said: "Szil would have played earlier this season after he played well at Southampton.

"But then he got injured playing for Slovakia. But he came back and did tremendous and I think Joseph and Massimo played well too.

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