Premier League preview: QPR v Sunderland

Queens Park Rangers will welcome Sunderland on Wednesday in the Premier League, searching for their first win in five.

After losing two straight games – 2-0 at home to Manchester United over the weekend and 1-0 to Liverpool away – QPR have not won in their past four, their last win coming away to Stoke City.

Anton Ferdinand was left out against Manchester United after injuring his hamstring against Liverpool and is doubtful to take the field against Martin O’Neill’s men.

QPR, though, welcomed Mathew Connolly back into their defence, with fellow defender Fritz Hall back in training in a boost for manager Neil Warnock.

Rangers have been woeful in front of goal this season with only 15 scored so far – the lowest in the Premier League alongside Wigan Athletic.

With Helguson struggling against United, Campbell looks likely to start with Adel Taarabt combining well with him upfront in place of Shaun Wright-Phillips.

After inspiring Sunderland to a 2-1 win over Blackburn Rovers in his first match, O’Neill watched his side fall 1-0 to Tottenham.

Sunderland had gone five matches without a win before O’Neill’s appointment, but the former Aston Villa boss seems to have turned the team’s performance around.

“There are positive signs – we just need to start turning performances into wins,” said midfielder Jack Colback to Sunderland’s club website.

“QPR are a team around us and we need to be taking something from every game against teams near us in the table.”

“We must go there with a positive attitude, do our stuff and start picking up points.”

Although they’ve conceded only 19 goals this season, the same as Chelsea and Everton, Sunderland have only scored 18 goals so far, a mark O’Neill is keen to improve on if the Black Cats are to take points off of QPR.

“We’ve got to learn a few things, particularly how to get goals,” O’Neill said.

“It’s a difficult business, scoring goals, but it’s not as difficult as we sometimes make it out to be. We need to get people in the penalty box.”

O’Neill will also be looking to Swedish midfielder Sebastian Larsson to add to his goal tally of five from midfield after Larsson came close again with his deadly freekicks against Spurs.