Queens Park Rangers' mission improbable is looking ever more manageable after they came form behind to beat a sorry Sunderland side and record consecutive Premier League wins for the first time since their promotion two years ago. Stephen Fletcher opened the scoring against the run of play for the visitors before the hosts drew level through their most extravagant January purchase, Loic Rémy, and sealed victory thanks to spectacular goals from a pair of players lured from Tottenham Hotspur, Andros Townsend and Jermaine Jenas. Cut adrift two weeks ago, QPR are now level on points with 19th place Reading and four away from 17th-place Aston Villa and safety. They play Villa next Saturday.
Harry Redknapp came into the game hoping to harness the power of positive momentum. His claims that QPR could survive were looking like the cant of a crank until last week's win at St Mary's conferred credibility. Their bid to build on that was boosted by the fact that Bobby Zamora and Rémy were fit enough to start together for the first time. Redknapp has described that as his "dream" striking duo and with QPR having failed to find the net in their last five home league matches, they needed that fantasy to come true.
Zamora's inclusion was one of four changes that Redknapp made to last week's starting line-up – and there was no place even on the bench for Adel Taarabt, who was said to have darkened the improving mood at the club by reacting unhappily to being named as a substitute last week.
Rangers began like a team who believed survival was well within their grasp. Sunderland began like a team who were not sure of anything.
There was a contemptible servility about the visitors, who arrived without a win in five matches and lapsed too readily into the role of subordinates. These Black Cats have no lionhearts.
The home side's midfielders streamed through Sunderland from the start, and Junior Hoillet and Andros Townsend were especially incisive, eager to get to work on the visitors' makeshift fullbacks.
Hoillet nearly opened the scoring in the third minute thanks to encouragingly intuitive interplay between Zamora and Rémy, the Frenchman reading his partner's clever dummy to collect the ball and feed Hoillet, who fired fractionally wide from 15 yards. Then, after 20 minutes, Sunderland struck with a sucker punch. Simon Mignolet bundled away a QPR free kick and Stéphane Sessègnon picked up the present and ran with it. He dribbled delightfully down the right before crossing to Adam Johnson on the far side of the box. With the home defence still lumbering back from the other end, Johnson's cross-cum-shot was turned into the net by the unmarked Fletcher.
QPR had not won any of the matches in which they have fallen behind this season and the Loftus Road faithful would have been forgiven for fearing a collapse. Instead Rangers rallied and they were level within 10 minutes. It took a dollop of luck to help them, as Townsend's 25-yard shot deflected off John O'Shea into the path of Rémy, who slotted calmly into the net. It was his third goal in four starts since his arrival in January and QPR's first home goal since Boxing Day.
They immediately went in search of another, Rémy volleying over from eight yards after a smart nod-down from Zamora. Stéphane Mbia then rasped Migonlet's hands with a 25-yard drive.
Martin O'Neill withdrew Danny Graham for Danny Rose, pushing Jack Colback into midfield and Sessègnon into the hole behind Fletcher.
Sunderland became more solid and the flow of play more even. Or stodgy. Both sides struggled to penetrate.
The impressive Townsend provided the first threat of the second half, racing in-field off the right flank to smash another left-foot shot at goal – again it was blocked by a defender and this time did not bounce obligingly to Rémy.
Four minutes later Townsend ensured victory by unleashing a shot that no one could block. After a cross form the right was headed out of the box, the midfielder controlled the ball with his chest and sent a dipping, swirling volley into the net from 25 yards.
Sunderland showed no signs of mounting a comeback and QPR helped themselves to a third goal when Jenas, on a substitute, blazed the ball into the bottom corner form 20 yards.
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