John O'Shea hopeful that he will be fit for Sunderland's QPR trip

O’Shea was subbed at half-time of the 3-0 thrashing by Aston Villa after suffering a heavy knock to the top of his leg in the first half.

With Jake Clarke-Salter serving the final game of a three-game ban and Ty Browning expected to miss the game with a knee problem picked up against Villa, Coleman is sweating on the fitness of his skipper O’Shea, with Lamine Kone currently the only other recognised fit centre-half.

Full back Billy Jones came on for Browning against Villa as a straight swap in central defence, Jones – like the rest of the defence – enduring an evening to forget at the Stadium of Light.

Coleman is hoping O’Shea is available for the trip to Loftus Road.

“We’ll wait and see,” said O’Shea on his injury.

“I was seeing if I could run it off and the next thing Tyias goes down so it was just one of those things. It’s sore at the minute but fingers crossed I’ll have a chance for Saturday.

“I’ll see how my leg is, we’re picking up little niggles and knocks but character’s needed now to get the wins. If we can get that, we have a chance.”

O’Shea admits it is “tough” going for Sunderland who travel to London again this weekend to face QPR in the Championship.

The Black Cats are currently four points adrift of safety with just 10 games of the campaign to play.

The experienced Republic of Ireland international said: “We don’t want to be where we are but we are and we have to face that quickly and find the momentum digging it out together somehow from somewhere, whether that be whatever team is selected.

“Whatever team is fit and available and if we do that, we’ll give ourselves some chance.

“Until we do that, it’s not looking good at the moment. We can’t look to Preston, QPR is, like they all are, massive.”