RYAN Nelsen reckons Harry Redknapp can save QPR's bacon.

Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the table without a win from their opening 14 games after last night's stalemate at Sunderland.

Redknapp, who helped Portsmouth and Spurs beat the drop, admits the challenge to keep QPR in the Premier League is the toughest of his managerial career.

But Nelsen, who worked with the 65-year-old during their time together at White Hart Lane last season, reckons Redknapp is the man to help the R's escape relegation.

“Harry has come in, I know him really well and his credentials speak for themselves,” said the New Zealand international.

“It is up to us now to bring in results for him, start producing on the field and getting some points.

“Obviously Harry hasn't had much time, he is still getting to know every player. He has to cast his own eye on everyone and that won't happen overnight.

“He is just trying to keep everyone positive. As I know Harry, him and his staff will be doing their utmost to get us points.

“Of course it is going to be very difficult, but anyone watching this would not of known which side was on the bottom.

“We need to keep performing and getting wins. We have to get 10 more wins, at least, in the season and we will see what happens.”

Redknapp's first game in charge ended in a deserved draw at the Stadium of Light and was a welcome clean sheet for Nelsen and the rest of QPR's defence.

Only Southampton have conceded more goals this season and Redknapp has made shoring up Rangers' backline his top priority.

Nelsen added: “You can't stay in the Premier League without keeping clean sheets, that's just a known fact.

“It is important to build on a nice solid foundation. He emphasised that when he came in and we delivered that against Sunderland.

“I think we probably controlled the game for the majority of the time and had the best chances. I'm really happy about the clean sheet, it was only our second one this season - that's not good enough in the Premier League, you have to get clean sheets.

“We got a point, it was one that we needed and will give us confidence and now we can go into Saturday's game against Aston Villa with a lot of belief and looking to get a win.

“We can't worry about other teams winning or losing, we just have to concentrate on ourselves and just win as many games as we can.

“That's all we have to do, trying to go on a run, trying to get wins and points and after 38 games we just have to see where we are.”

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