ANGRY Sunderland manager Peter Reid gave his players a tongue-lashing after their 2-1 Worthington Cup exit at the hands of First Division Crystal Palace last night.

Reid admitted: "The best team on the night won without a doubt - we weren't at the races."

The Wearside boss slammed the attitude and approach of his team in a game which offered the prize of a glamorous semi-final two-leg tie against Liverpool for the victors.

He said: "Crystal Palace showed more desire and a better attitude. We lost at Leeds on Saturday and I can accept getting beat if we put everything into it but I don't think we did that as a team this evening.

"If you come to a place like this in a major cup-tie and don't do that then you get beat."

Reid added: "We did have a couple of chances and it was fairly balanced on that score.

"The thing which concerned me was that all over the pitch we were second best and that is something I can't accept.

"I can accept the team playing badly but certainly the attitude from my players for the quarter final of a major cup competition was not up to standard.

"For some reason we weren't at the races and the attitude was not there - it showed for all to see.

"There are no complaints from me about the result, we didn't work hard enough to get into the game.

"Even when we equalised Palace were still the more dangerous side. We did have a good chance at 1-1 but it was something we didn't deserve on the evening."

Reid, who has so often praised his team for their spirited performances, went on: "As a manager I have a lot of respect for my players and they have done smashing for me. But this evening, on that performance, it is one I just can't accept."

Asked why his players had let him down Reid replied: "I have to find out before our game against Manchester City on Saturday."

l Thierry Henry last night declared that Manchester United may suffer from the lack of a winter break from the Premiership this season as he insisted that Arsenal could still overtake the champions. The Gunners are five points behind leaders United after Monday's 1-1 draw at Tottenham, and Henry declared: ''Of course it's still possible for us to win the title as everyone forgets that Manchester United had a long break when they went to Brazil last season. They were fresh when they came back so I want to see if they are going to be fresh this time as well.''