QPR player ratings - 'Workhorse' 9/10 and 'industrious' 8 as rampant Sunderland halted at Loftus Road

QPR picked up another point against Championship league leaders Sunderland but the London outfit will feel they should have managed more in a dominant performance against the Wearsiders.

It was not the Black Cats who looked like the in-form side early on in West London. Ilias Chair got his head up to float a dangerous ball towards Paul Smyth on the opposite flank, who couldn't apply the faintest of touches that would have sent the ball goalwards. Minutes later, Zan Celar fluffed a sitter slid over to him by the lively Smyth following a good QPR move.

Even after a slow start, the threat posed by this Sunderland side was clear. Wilson Isidor bolted between the R's makeshift centre-back pairing of Steve Cook and Sam Field to rocket a ball wide as a first major warning sign with 13 minutes on the clock before Dan Neil hit the post from the edge of the box shortly afterwards.

QPR began to dominate as the game ticked towards half time, a flurry of dangerous set plays from Chair hitting the heads of Cook and Field but not troubling Simon Moore in the Sunderland goal.

It became backs to the wall for Sunderland shortly after half-time after star man Jobe Bellingham saw red for a nasty lunge on Celar. The QPR striker was gifted two good chances in the moments that followed but was unable to find his elusive first QPR goal.

A series of half-chances followed for the hosts but 10-man Sunderland held out well for a point. Here’s how the QPR players rated.

GK - Paul Nardi, 7

Pretty quiet day against the in-form Sunderland - he won’t have expected that, and won’t mind it either.

LB - Harrison Ashby, 7

Looked reasonably comfortable before his early substitution. Kenneth Paal had been struggling this season and there’s a real argument the Newcastle United loanee should have the starting spot, if a little hap-hazard with his positioning at times. Appeared to pull his hamstring which could be a real blow for the player and team.

CB - Steve Cook, 8

His body is always in the right place at the right time. Did well to haul Field through the match alongside him too following the injury to Clarke-Salter.

CB - Sam Field, 7

That’ll do as he filled in at the back. Looked a little flat footed early on when Sunderland did move the ball quickly but settled and was in control after that.

RB - Jimmy Dunne, 6

A comfortable performance that perhaps lacked a little of his usual driving force at full-back.

CM - Jonathan Varane, 8

Comfortably his best showing in a QPR shirt. That was an industrious performance which shows why Cifuentes was so keen to bring him here. Does need to work on his shooting on the training ground if going to insist on blasting over from distance.

CM - Nicolas Masden, 7

Getting neater and neater with his work as time goes on following his summer move. Some of his link-up play with Varane today was superb.

CM - Kieran Morgan, 7

Such an exciting player to watch develop. Has only just broken into the first team but looks at ease. His youth sees him go for the hard pass at times, but that sort of ambition isn’t a bad thing for QPR.

LW - Ilias Chair, 7

Found his usual moments of quality and put in some great set plays, which deserved to be met better by his teammates. A little selfish in the final third at times.

ST - Zan Celar, 5

Clearly lacking confidence in front of goal, missing a sitter in the opening minutes that should have hit the back of the net. Clearly determined to make his impact with hold-up play, which he can do well but badly needs that first R’s goal - had Loftus Road on the edge of their seats with a curled shot in the second half which narrowly crept around the far post.

RW - Paul Smyth, 9

Received huge applause following his sub in the second half with Loftus Road acknowledging a really big shift on the flank. Caused Sunderland problems all afternoon and deserved to have one of the good chances he fashioned converted into a goal by teammates. A workhorse today.

SUB - Hevertton, 7

Looked confident as he stepped up for the injured Ashby - he may need to do that again if the loanee’s injury is serious.

Didn’t have much luck making those dangerous jinking runs he is capable of.

Quiet cameo late on.