TEAM NEWS
Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is waiting for news of key duo John O'Shea and Lee Cattermole ahead of Tuesday night's Premier League clash with QPR. Central defender O'Shea limped out of Saturday's 4-2 home defeat by West Brom with a calf problem and is a major doubt, while midfielder Cattermole's chances of playing are not a great deal better after he aggravated a knee injury during the same game. O'Neill also admitted he has a series of other knocks which are a concern, but declined to elaborate as he prepared his side to face a team managed for a first game by Harry Redknapp.
Harry Redknapp should be able to call on QPR captain Park Ji-sung for his first game in charge at Sunderland. Park failed to recover from a knee problem in time for Saturday's defeat at former club Manchester United but is expected to be in contention for the Barclays Premier League trip to the Stadium of Light. Jose Bosingwa is thought to have recovered from the virus that ruled him out at the weekend but strikers Bobby Zamora (hip) and Andrew Johnson (knee) are longer-term concerns.
MANAGER QUOTES
Martin O'Neill: "We have a lot of work to do, we accept that. What I don't want is players getting concerned and worried because we have lost the last couple of games here and suddenly everybody is against us."
Harry Redknapp: "We've got to do better to give ourselves any chance of getting out of this mess. I need 11 people with ability to put effort in. If they don't they're not going to play and I'll get 11 people who do. I've got no time for people who lose the ball and stand their with hands in the air. The lads I met yesterday were all upbeat. They've got to realise they are in this position because they haven't really performed to their capabilities and they've got to do better. The players have to take responsibility for performances, they've got to up their performance level and get us out of trouble."
MATCH FACTS
Sunderland have won seven and lost none of the last 10 matches in all competitions against QPR.
Stephane Sessegnon scored in both games against QPR last season.
Andre Marriner was the referee when QPR suffered their heaviest ever Premier League defeat in October 2011, 0-6 against Fulham.
Sunderland mustered 10 shots on target in their last game (v WBA) - they have only had 32 all season.
The Black Cats have won only two of their last 20 Premier League games (D11 L7).
QPR's total of four points from 13 games is the worst ever start in Premier League history.
The last team to have as bad a top-flight record as QPR after 13 games are Sheffield United in 1990-91 (W0 D4 L9 – four points).
The Blades didn't win any of their opening 16 games that season but recovered to finish 13th.
Sunderland are the only team to record zero corners in more than one Premier League game this season (have done so twice).
Sunderland's average points rate of 1.05 is the lowest of any team to have played more than 300 Premier League games.
MATCH ODDS
Sunderland 13/10, QPR 11/5, Draw 11/5
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