Under-pressure QPR boss Marti Cifuentes has already given glowing Leeds United verdict

Marti Cifuentes is under no illusions at the size of the task facing his injury-hit Queens Park Rangers side this weekend. The R's head coach takes his depleted squad to Elland Road tomorrow to take on third-placed Leeds United on the back of a 4-1 home humbling to Middlesbrough.

The pressure is mounting on Cifuentes to halt their worrying run of form. QPR sit 23rd in the Championship, five points adrift of safety following a 10-match winless run. “It is always difficult when you are going through a period like we are going through now but it is very important to keep the belief, make sure that we work harder every day until it works," he said.

"I have been talking a lot with the players about the mental part of it because we know that usually there is a close connection between confidence and results. The more it takes to get that win that we really need, obviously the confidence gets affected.

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“We need to understand what are the basics, what are the main things that are important to get our performances right. We believe we can get the results we want.

"We need to move on quick (from Middlesbrough), learn from this and make sure we prepare for a very challenging game against Leeds because they are one of the top teams in the league.”

Cifuentes, who has confirmed midfield playmaker Ilias Chair will miss the trip to West Yorkshire, is wary of the quality United possess. “The situation where we are and playing away against Leeds, it is not easy but I am a big believer as well that we can win this game, that we can go for it," Cifuentes told the club's website.

“That is the mindset that we should have. If we are not believing in ourselves, then who would?

“We need to make sure we do the right things, that we understand what are the key parts of our performance that can give us the stability that we need, and from there grow into the game.”