The visitors coasted to a deserved triumph, taking advantage of a tame second-half show from Sunderland.

Boss Roy Keane said none of his players performed to their potential - and Diouf could not disagree.

He said: "I don't like to talk too much after losing a game because sometimes you can say something just because you are upset.

"But this was a very bad day for us, and we don't need people to tell us that.

"I don't want to say this result happened because a lot of us have just arrived here. But we need more days, more weeks, more months together.

"Yesterday was a big disappointment, but the season is long and we have to remember days like this and how bad they feel."

Diouf now heads off on international duty with Senegal for their World Cup qualifier with Algeria next weekend, and he is one of 15 of Keane's squad heading off to represent their countries.

But the former Bolton man insists he will have an eye on Sunderland's next game, at Wigan on September 13.

"We have to wait two weeks to get the Manchester City result behind us," said Diouf.

"The guys away for international duty will be starting to think of the Wigan game, and the players staying here will be preparing for that game.

"We have paid the consequences for a bad performance, and now we have to try to look forward."