PREVIEW: Queens Park Rangers vs Sunderland - Can The Black Cats heap more misfortune on the R's?

All you need to know ahead of Sunderland's fixture against QPR

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With a fine 2-0 win over Oxford last weekend, Sunderland ended the three game match week in style making it three wins from three and extending their lead at the top of the table to five points.

A header from Jobe Bellingham opened the scoring after 16 minutes and then Wilson Isidor doubled the lead with an outstanding first time volley.

Team News

Several of the Sunderland players who are currently out injured, are close to a return. Apart from Aji Alese and Ian Poveda who are set to be out on the side lines for a little longer.

Anthony Patterson looks set to be out of action again this weekend as well as Dan Ballard, who is suffering with an ankle problem.

The Opposition

After beating the drop last season, many would have thought QPR would be looking up the Championship table, rather than down it.

But, they are still yet to kick into gear. The club currently sit 23rd in the table with just one win all season. Another defeat to Sunderland on the weekend could see the pressure pile onto Marti Cifuentes.

The Gaffer

After starting his coaching career in the lower divisions of Spain, Marti Cifuentes moved to Sweden in 2018 to manage AIK’s reserve team and academy. 

He stepped into senior management again in May 2018 moving to Norwegian side Sandefjord. When he took charge, Sandefjord had only picked up five points from the opening 12 matches. Despite only losing another six matches that season Sandefjord were relegated. 

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Cifuentes was retained as Head coach and he led the Norwegian side to a second-place finish and promotion back to the Eliteserian, Norway’s top division. In 2020 Sandefjord finish in 11th place, eight points clear of the relegation zone.

Cifuentes then made the move to Denmark to Aalborg BK or AaB for short in the Danish Superliga. 

He was only in charge of the club for 37 Danish Super Liga games and left the club midway through the 2021-22 season with AaB Fourth in the table. He returned to Sweden to take charge of Hammarby IF

Hammarby started the 2023 season slowly, sitting 18th in the table after 15 games but an upturn in form saw them lose only one of the following 12. Cifuentes left the club on the 30th of October 2023 and joined QPR. He helped QPR to survival with the club finding themselves safe of relegation with a few matches remaining, finishing in 18th place.

Opposition Team News

QPR will be without top scorer Michael Frey on Saturday, as he's currently out with a calf injury

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Kenneth Paal and former Sunderland midfielder Jack Colback will also be on the side lines with a thigh and leg injury respectively.

Previous Meeting

The last time the two sides met, it ended 0-0 at The Stadium of Light.

Coming into the game, QPR were breaking clear of the relegation zone with three wins from their previous five and Sunderland were winless in six.

Queens Park Rangers started the game the stronger of the two sides but Adil Aouchice's cross which clipped the crossbar was the closest either side got in the early stages.

Lucas Andersen, almost caught Patterson off his line, but he was able to save his blushes and clear the ball away, Ilias Chair then fired wide.

Patterson was called into action again in the second half, as substitutes Armstrong and Willock tried to break down the Sunderland door, but were unable to find a way through.

The Referee

This weekends referee is Ben Toner

Toner has refereed Sunderland on a previous 11 occasions with The Black Cats winning eight losing two and drawing one

EFL Stat Pack

As per the EFL website:

QPR are winless in their last four league matches against Sunderland (D2 L2) since a 1-0 victory back in March 2018.

Sunderland have won their last two away league visits to QPR, scoring three goals in each victory (3-0 in 2022-23 and 3-1 in 2023-24).

QPR are one of two sides, along with Portsmouth, without a home league win this season (D3 L3) – only in 2012-13 and 2023-24 have they waited longer in a Football League season for their first home win (both 8th game).

Sunderland have won four of their six away league games this season (L2) and could win three consecutive such games for the first time since September 2023.

Only Anis Mehmeti (15) has recorded more shots following a carry in the Championship this season than Sunderland’s Patrick Roberts (13), while the winger is joint-third for chances created following a carry (9) behind Giorgi Chakvetadze (15) and Luca Koleosho (12).

Predicted Line up: Moore, Cirkin, Mepham, O'Nien, Hume, Rigg, Neil, Bellingham, Roberts, Isidor, Mundle