MICK McCARTHY warned last night that Sunderland would be "spanked" if they repeated their Maine Road performance in Saturday's Wear-Tyne derby - a match that Kevin Phillips could miss with a groin injury.

As McCarthy slammed Sunderland's display in losing 3-0 to Manchester City, he revealed Phillips is struggling to be fit for the visit of Newcastle United.

He said: "Kevin had treatment on his groin all week, and he's doubtful for the Newcastle game.

"I asked Kevin before I made my last two substitutions if he was OK.

"He said he was, but with the way the season has gone I lost him soon afterwards."

With Marcus Stewart suspended for the weekend clash, Phillips's absence would force McCarthy to cobble together a frontline from Kevin Kyle, Tore Andre Flo and Michael Proctor.

McCarthy was scathing in his condemnation of Sunderland after succumbing to their eighth successive away League defeat.

The Sunderland manager said: "It's the biggest game of the season on Saturday, and I've told them if we play like that we'll get spanked.

"And if we get spanked, there will be hell on, and justifiably so as well.

"Our supporters are fantastic and they've had enough disappointments. What they don't need is a poor performance on Saturday.

"Having a go in terms of running around, chasing and tackling is all right; you need a bit of moral courage to want the ball and pass it.

"We were all right for 35 minutes, but we didn't test Peter Schmeichel. And it looked like men against boys at times in the second half. We need some characters in the team; we need some people who demand things out of others.

"Teams that do well snap and snarl at each other and don't accept that you're getting beaten.

"It takes moral courage to keep going and to try to get people to play. We need more of that, and we'll need it on Saturday.

"When we concede a goal, it's kind of inevitable we're going to concede again. It happened against West Brom and it happened again here.

"I keep saying I've had a good response from the players, but it's their response to conceding goals that needs to be looked at.

"It's extremely difficult for them because they've had so many bad days this year.

"I just wonder if they can't wait until the season has finished, and they can all get off and we can start afresh."

City manager Kevin Keegan had words of solace for Sunderland, but warned they face an almighty struggle to be promoted next season.

Keegan said: "It won't be easy for Sunderland in the First Division. Teams will relish playing at the Stadium of Light; it will motivate sides going there.

"But I thought Sunderland stuck at it, as you would expect; they never let their heads go down.

"I told my players, 'Get a goal up against these and you don't know what will happen because they've only got pride to play for'.

"But I thought they played with a lot of pride, although we had a lot of good football in us.

"I think their fans are terrific and they'll be back. They're a genuine bunch of boys and I wish Mick McCarthy all the best. It's a big job but he can do it."

Read more about Sunderland here.