QPR manager rues 'difficult situation' as injuries hit ahead of Sunderland test

Queens Park Rangers have found themselves in ‘a difficult situation’ as they turn their attention towards Saturday’s home game with Sunderland.

The Black Cats travel to Loftus Road looking to boost their own bid for promotion after extending their lead at the top of the Championship table with a routine 2-0 home win against struggling Oxford United. Regis Le Bris’ will aim for a fifth win in seven away games on the same day third placed Leeds United host Plymouth Argyle and on the same weekend fellow promotion rivals Burnley and Sheffield United face away days at Millwall and Blackburn Rovers respectively.

However, it is matters at the other end of the table that are dominating the headlines at Saturday’s opponents as Marti Cifuentes’ side sit second from bottom after winning just one of their opening 12 Championship fixtures. That solitary victory came on the final day of August as Nicolas Madsen and Michael Frey netted in a 2-1 win at Luton Town - but since their Kenilworth Road triumph, the Hoops have taken just four points from their following eight games.

There was a positive result that had some impact on Sunderland’s prospects at the opposite end of the table on Saturday as Cifuentes’ side battled to a goalless draw at promotion contenders Burnley - but the Hoops boss has revealed his players had to revel in adverse conditions after their list of absentees was increased ahead of their visit to Turf Moor.

He told the club website: “We knew that Michi Frey and Ken Paal would be out of this game but yesterday in training Morgan Fox and Kader Dembélé both felt something. The assessment was that we expected them both to be ready for this game but this morning we did some more tests and they were not ready. It was a difficult situation because usually we travel with 22 players – 19 outfield and three goalkeepers – just in case something happens with an outfield player or a keeper. In the end, we had to use the extra keeper as well on the bench because we could not get anyone up from London in time for the game. Sometimes adversity happens like this and you must overcome it.”

There were some concerns Sunderland would have injury worries over goalkeeper Anthony Patterson and forward Wilson Isidor - but Regis Le Bris confirmed neither player has suffered any major issues in the aftermath of Saturday’s win against Oxford United.