Preview: Sunderland v QPR

Harry Redknapp has been there before and has it all to do again as he starts his task of keeping another side afloat from the relegation zone.

The 65-year-old succeeds Mark Hughes as manager at QPR with the Loftus Road club bottom of the Premiership with only four points to their credit after 13 matches and the solitary side without a win in all four divisions.

Can ‘Arry be QPR’s saviour?

It will be the Londoner’s record fifth top flight club when he takes Rangers to Sunderland this Tuesday and he is very hopeful of surviving the drop like he did with Portsmouth and Spurs.

“I want to be successful here, really badly. I want to keep this team in the Premier League. If the players try as hard as I am going to try, we’ll be successful.”

Redknapp will need the backing of the players, none more so than playmaker Adel Taarabt who was sold to QPR by the former Spurs boss.

However, the new man at the helm has revealed he’s looking to utilise the Moroccan.

“Adel has a big future; he’s an amazing talent. There’s no doubt he’s a match-winner for us.” Redknapp said.

“He’s the player who can do something special, so we’ll be looking to get the best out of him.”

The R’s have failed to win in their last 20 matches, losing their last six, but welcome back club captain Park Ji-Sung after a month out with a knee injury.

Defender Jose Bosingwa is also in contention for the trip to the Stadium of Light after missing the weekend’s 3-1 defeat to Manchester United with a virus.

Martin O’Neill’s Sunderland are also struggling of late after a mere one win in their last seven outings and only two victories all season.

O’Neill will have been in charge of his boyhood club for a year next week and will be looking to sustain some of the form he enjoyed early on in his tenure starting with a win against QPR.

O’Neill: Almost a year at the helm

The Black Cats are without Lee Cattermole (knee) and John O’Shea (calf) for the visit of QPR after the pair picked up injuries in the 4-2 defeat to West Bromwich Albion on the weekend.

Goalkeeper Simon Mignolet’s howler rewarded the Baggies with their second goal on the weekend but midfielder Craig Gardner has backed his number teammate saying the mistake was out of character.

“Simon will probably never do that again and I think he’s the best keeper in the league at the minute.

Mignolet’s howler gifts Long a goal

“He’s been top class day in, day out in training – his attitude and the saves he makes are unbelievable.”

Sunderland secured the double over QPR last season, the clubs’ first encounters against each other in Premier League history.

R’s striker Djibril Cisse saw red in the second clash against his former club after a wild challenge on Frazier Campbell in a game that saw ex-Sunderland players Anton Ferdinand and Nedum Onuoha also play.

Djibril Cisse recieves red after upending Frazier Campbell

All three players are available for QPR who haven’t won in their last five visits to Sunderland, a record Redknapp will be looking to halt when his Rangers reign begins.