Darren Ferguson launched a savage attack on his players after their 4-0 relegation battle defeat at Cardiff

The defeat allowed the Bluebirds to open up a 12-point gap on Ferguson’s side in the third relegation spot.

“I’m devastated. It was a humiliation and a complete embarrassment to the club. A performance of that level in a game of this magnitude will never, ever be acceptable,” said Ferguson.

“When you come into a game knowing Cardiff have lost nine games at home, and on the back of a performance last weekend that everyone agreed was a positive one, I cannot take one positive out of that performance, not one. I could have made about two subs after 20-25 minutes.

“It’s not going to make much difference but I do have to apologise to the fans who came down to watch what was an unbelievable performance. It could have been four or five-nil after 20 minutes.

“From the top to bottom of the game, in terms of the fundamentals – tackles, second balls, headers, set-pieces, running on the ball – they annihilated us. To see a performance like that is worrying.

“We changed formation three or four times and I’m trying everything I can to try to salvage a run of games where we can get wins, but it just isn’t working. That’s football and that lies with me.”

Joe Ralls, Aden Flint, Jordan Hugill and Uche Ikpeazu got the gaols for the home side.

Steve Morison was left to reflect on a third Championship win in a row and a second successive clean sheet. His side have been transformed by a raft of loan signings in the January window.

“That was the most complete performance since I took over. We controlled the game without the ball really well and when we had our moments we were spot on,” he said.

“To a man we were top drawer and it was a good night. This game was always going to be much bigger than the FA Cup tie in Liverpool on Sunday.

“If I had been sat here having beaten Liverpool and lost to Peterborough we would have been dragged back to within six points of relegation.

“We had fresh legs tonight and I was able to bring some players off at the end to rest them ahead of Millwall on Saturday.

“That performance shows where I want to take this club and how I want the team to look on a weekly basis if I get the chance.

“Winning breeds confidence and we have to go again in 48 hours. The good thing is the players are starting to believe in themselves.”