Paddy McNair Working His Way Back To Top Form For Sunderland

22 September 2016 16:58

Paddy McNair, the match-winner in Wednesday's EFL Cup tie at QPR, has asked Sunderland fans to be patient with him as he gets fully fit.

The 21-year-old defender-cum-midfielder, who played just his second full 90 minutes for Sunderland, joined from Manchester United last month without having had a full pre-season.

McNair scored his first Sunderland goals as the Black Cats came from behind to win at Loftus Road, earning a fourth-round trip to Southampton. And manager David Moyes has suggested he can develop into a full time goalscoring midfielder.

Speaking to Sunderland's official website, the Northern Ireland international said: "It was a good night for me personally but also for the team, and I think we deserved to go through to be honest.

"It was brilliant to celebrate with the fans and we had great support so it was great for them to see us win. It was difficult during the first weeks after I came from Manchester United where I hadn't had a pre-season, so I'm just been trying to get going and it was also a big change.

"I want the fans to be patient with me but hopefully I've shown what I can give the team.

"We have two big games coming at home and hopefully we can take six points before heading into the international break."

Those matches are against Crystal Palace and West Brom in the Premier League.

Although instant success is required to lift Sunderland out of the bottom three, manager David Moyes admits it is going to take time for his players to get used to his ideas and be able to implement them.

Moyes, who succeeded England boss Sam Allardyce this summer, said: "I want to build on what Big Sam has done.

"I want to be able to say that we have some good young players. I am not able to do it in one short window but I am not worried about the big tasks.

"Some I will get right, some we won't. It is going to take time to build us up but sometimes in this game time is not what you have."

Meanwhile QPR manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has revealed Sandro is in contention for a start in Saturday's Championship game against Birmingham.

The Brazilian scored the Hoops' goal on Wednesday, his third in two appearances this season, but he is yet to play in the league.

Sandro saw his move to Sporting Lisbon fall through in August after he failed a medical, but Hasselbaink has been impressed with his commitment to the London club.

He said: "I have said after the window to Sandro that he will be judged and he will be treated like (the others). He wanted to go but he is still here.

"He has conducted himself really well in training and he is pushing himself forward for a starting position.

"He played ever so well (against Sunderland), he was a leader, he was one of a number of players who had the right voice but also at the end he ran a little bit out of steam because he does not have enough games under his belt.

"You can see how much work he has done in the first half and his intensity, how high that was. Second half that dropped a little bit but still he played well and I was very happy with his performance.

"I asked him to give me a very difficult selection for Saturday and that is what he has done."

Source: PA-WIRE