The former Tottenham and Portsmouth boss admits morale is low among the Rangers squad but is eyeing the club's first league win of the season against Aston Villa at the weekend.

He told reporters: "Confidence is going to be a bit shot. We've got a big game on Saturday with Villa, and I think we've got to make Loftus Road a little bit like what Portsmouth used to be, a tough place to go.

"It's a small stadium, intimidating and if we can show the fans we're going to have a real go and they get behind us, it'll be a tough place to come.

"It's going to be tough, we mustn't kid ourselves. You look at the position we're in, it's very, very difficult.

"I can see there's some decent players there that need to play as a team. And if we can put them together and get them to play together, we've got a chance."

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill believes his side are also suffering from a lack of confidence at present, and insisted he understands the frustration displayed by the fans at the Stadium of Light.

He said: "Its' a sign of character to be able to play the ball that you choose and not the one that the crowd want you to play.

"Ours wouldn't be the only crowd getting anxious about things. What was frustrating that at times we were playing the ball back to the goalkeeper when we really should have been getting it forward, but outside that it's just part of the game.

"The lads said it was really tough last year. Around about this time, a couple of the matches before Steve (Bruce) departed were particularly tough. We have to tough it out."