JOHN O’SHEA thinks everyone connected with Sunderland remains united to turn things around for the long term after a frustrating 48 hours for Gus Poyet and the club’s fans.

Despite encouraging displays and results against Burnley, Fulham and Swansea City, the Black Cats suffered a potentially demoralising defeat to struggling Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday to remind every fan that a fight to avoid relegation remains in full flow.

Poyet’s decision to admit immediately after the game that his team effectively bowed to the demands of the supporters in the second half by scrapping his preferred style of play has infuriated a section of Sunderland’s support.

He suggested that he is aware of a demand from the stands wanting to see Sunderland’s players “running around” rather than “trying to pass the ball” which goes against his own footballing principles.

But O’Shea, the team captain, believes there is still a togetherness running through the club to ensure that they head in the right direction ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup last-16 date at League One play-off hopefuls Bradford City.

"There's only one manager, so we have to listen to him and be guided by him,” said O’Shea. “We've had a good run of form and hit a terrible first half on Tuesday night, but we stick together.

"We've got the FA Cup game at Bradford to look forward to. We have to react very quickly and if we beat Bradford, that's a start. Everyone's together, including the fans. Every club knows how important it is to have the backing of the fans to create an atmosphere.”

Criticism was hurled the team’s way against QPR after a turgid first half in which the managerless Hoops scored goals through Leroy Fer and Bobby Zamora.

Despite creating more chances after the restart, Sunderland found no way past goalkeeper Rob Green and the defeat leaves the men from Wearside just two points above the relegation zone.

"We had a good chance to get a cushion, but it wasn't to be,” said O’Shea. “We've got to dust ourselves down very quickly and I'm sure Bradford will enjoy when they look at the DVD of this game how we started it.

“They'll take plenty of encouragement from it but first and foremost we must make sure we get through in the cup and then do well against West Brom.

"It's one of those things, it would have been nice to open up that gap, but we haven't. We have to dust ourselves down and make sure we never start a game like that again.

"You saw the chances we still had, and the keeper made some good saves and there were clearances off the line. We needed to take one of those chances. If we had, we'd have had big support from the crowd but we couldn't get that first goal.

"Towards the end of the game you have to go a bit mad, in a bid to get back into it so you're leaving yourself open. It's just disappointing we didn't get that goal to see how QPR would have reacted. The two goal cushion was always good for them.”