QPR boss Marti Cifuentes singled out Anthony Patterson for praise following Sunderland's 0-0 at the Stadium of Light.

The Black Cats' shot stopper was the busier of the two goalkeepers and produced a brilliant save in the dying embers of the game to deny Chris Willock a certain goal, and ensure a share of the spoils.

Patterson was awarded man-of-the-match for his display, in his 100th consecutive league game for the Black Cats, the first player to do so this century and only the seventh player to do so in the club's history.

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Cifuentes admitted he was disappointed his side weren't able to take all three points, but has faith QPR will avoid the drop.

"We missed two points but I'm satisfied with the performance of the players, with the attitude," Cifuentes said. "We had the game more or less as we wanted, we didn't allow Sunderland to get a shot on goal for 95 minutes.

"We didn't create as much as we would have liked but enough, definitely, to get the goal or two goals. Unfortunately for us, Anthony Patterson was great in saving in two situations. They were very good saves.

"In the end, we're very disappointed not to get the victory. I think since I arrived here, the team is showing great togetherness to work out of possession, and I think we're not conceding a lot of chances.

"Even against Middlesbrough when we conceded twice it was from two shots on goal, sometimes this is the game. Of course I would have preferred to have conceded three today and score four to take the three points, but is definitely a strength of ours and something that we need to keep until the end of the season.

"I'm very encouraged by what the players are giving me every single week. I would not have come here if I didn't think it was possible to stay up but at the same time, the progress has been really good week by week.

"The team is getting better, the reality is that we are still in a big relegation battle with a lot of teams and it will be tough until the end, so we need to be aware that we need to a lot of good things until the end of the season if we want to achieve our target."