Sports Mole previews the clash between QPR and Sunderland at Loftus Road, as Harry Redknapp's side seek a first Premier League point against the unbeaten Black Cats.

Newly-promoted Queens Park Rangers will be desperate to turn their early-season form around when they host Sunderland at Loftus Road on Saturday afternoon.

Of all the Premier League teams, Rangers may be the most disappointed with their start to the campaign, having lost three straight games in all competitions.

An opening-day defeat at home to Hull City was a far from ideal return to the top flight and preceded the 4-0 hammering at Harry Redknapp's former club Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

League Two Burton Albion kicked the Hoops while they were down on Wednesday by knocking them out of the Capital One Cup, and Redknapp was quick to criticise his players in the aftermath of the upset.

Sunderland had no such problems progressing from the second round of the competition, although they did need three late goals to beat Championship Birmingham City at the Stadium of Light.

Jordi Gomez opened his Black Cats account on 77 minutes before Adam Johnson and Connor Wickham secured a result which keeps Gus Poyet's side unbeaten at this early stage of the season.

A deserved draw against Manchester United last weekend will lift the belief on Wearside that they can avoid the relegation battle that they were in for much of last term, before their 'miraculous' survival.

Poyet made five changes in midweek and, with Johnson reportedly under the weather, is expected to restore Will Buckley after being impressed by the former Brighton & Hove Albion winger's efforts on debut.

Vito Mannone, Patrick van Aanholt, Lee Cattermole and Steven Fletcher are also poised for recalls, which will probably mean Costel Pantilimon, Billy Jones, Liam Bridcutt and Gomez dropping to the bench.

Redknapp may choose to completely scrap the 3-5-2 formation that he abandoned during their drubbing at White Hart Lane, with half-time scapegoat Richard Dunne the most likely defender to lose his place.

Mauricio Isla could be asked to drop in at right-back, while his Chilean international teammate Eduardo Vargas will make his QPR bow up front, if he is granted international clearance in time to feature.

Should the Hoops revert to Redknapp's more tried and tested 4-4-2 system, Junior Hoilett may be handed a first start of the season on the left flank to help fellow winger Matty Phillips provide some width.

Both sides are believed to be closing in on new signings, with QPR having reportedly had a bid accepted for Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and Inter Milan midfielder Ricky Alvarez on the verge of sealing a loan move to Sunderland. Neither player is likely to arrive before the registration deadline for this weekend.

Recent form

QPR: LLL

Sunderland: WDD

Possible starting lineups

QPR: Green; Isla, Caulker, Ferdinand, Traore; Phillips, Barton, Fer, Hoilett; Remy, Vargas

Sunderland: Mannone; Vergini, Brown, O'Shea, Van Aanholt; Rodwell, Cattermole, Larsson; Buckley, Fletcher, Wickham

Sports Mole says: 1-1