STUNNED manager Mick McCarthy wants Sunderland to recover from the 'worst performance' during his managerial reign and close the gap on the Championship's early pacesetters.

The Black Cats, due to take on League Two side Chester City in the Carling Cup tomorrow night, face leaders Wigan Athletic on Saturday at the Stadium of Light.

And, after succumbing to a more resolute second-placed Plymouth on Saturday, McCarthy is desperate for his side to reduce the margin to the top two - already up to six points after just four matches.

"Worst performance of the season? That's the worst performance in the 18 months I have been at the club," said the Sunderland boss. "We went to Plymouth knowing it was going to be tough but they out-battled us, if not outplayed us.

"I said to my players 'welcome to the Championship'. That's what games are going to be like this season for us, so they have got to get used to it.

"Yes we might be allowed to play sometimes but other times we will have to scrap and fight and be ready for those type of matches."

Despite admitting Plymouth deserved to claim all three points, McCarthy felt hard done by certain decisions made by referee Phil Crossley during the 2-1 defeat in Devon.

As well as a couple of strange free-kicks, Mr Crossley also chose to rule out a Sunderland goal and dismiss a penalty appeal when Julio Arca's cross hit Paul Wotton's hand in the first half.

McCarthy approached the official after the game. "All I said to him was that it was easy to see why it's called Home Park here," said McCarthy.

"But we might have pinched a point at the end and if we had it would have been stolen. The substitutions did change things but we can't just play for 25 minutes and that's what we did."

McCarthy is likely to hand starting places to a number of his younger players when Chester make the trip to Wearside tomorrow night.

Youngsters Chris Brown and Grant Leadbitter could be handed chances to impress and striker Stephen Elliott may get the opportunity to stake a claim for a starting place.

Kevin Kyle, who played through the pain barrier with his hip injury on Saturday, could be rested by McCarthy.

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