The Republic of Ireland international, who was captain in the absence of the injured Dean Whitehead at the weekend, says the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City highlighted the fact that it will take time for Sunderland's remodelled side to click.

But he reckons that if the players focus on doing all the basic things that footballers have to do, it will help them perform well as a team, while they are building understandings.

He said: "The defeat was disappointing and hard to take.

"But it takes time and it's important we don't get too far ahead of ourselves. We have brought in quality players and we are progressing as a squad but we need to take stock – Sunday was a reality check for everyone.

"It will take time for the squad to gel.

"The lads who were already here need time to get used to the new players and the new players need time to get used to us.

"You do need time to adjust to what new players, particularly strikers, do and how they play in order to get the best out of them, but the basics are always the same.

"If you don't head, tackle and run around enough and score goals then you won't win matches.

"Those four things are pretty basic and if you don't do them you won't win a match. That's what we need to do regularly to win football matches."

Despite the inconsistent results this season, Reid says there's no doubt that Sunderland have a better squad now, than they did when he first joined at the start of the year.

"The main thing that the new players have done, and the manager will say this as well, is that it has lifted the players who were already here, made them improve because they know they have to or they won't be in the team," he said.

"Some of the lads have done that and the manager stressed to all of us that he didn't want players to be left behind.

"Things were going all right until Sunday, and it's frustrating that we were beaten in the way we were."