PADDY McNAIR was at the double to book Sunderland a date with Southampton in the fourth round of the EFL Cup last night, and David Moyes would love the victory to lead to greater things in the Premier League.

McNair scored two in the final 20 minutes to overturn Queens Park Rangers’ slender one goal advantage secured by Sandro’s strike on the hour at Loftus Road.

It was the Northern Ireland international’s first career goals at the right end, having also found his own net against Manchester City on his competitive debut for Sunderland after his summer switch from Manchester United.

McNair wants to play centre-midfield at club level despite being turned into a centre-back by Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford.

Moyes, after watching the youngster hit his two goals in style, said: “There's a wee bit of a misconception with Paddy. He's an attacking midfielder. He was a No 10 as a boy, but as he grew he dropped back.

“Maybe he'll end up as a centre-half or a midfielder, but he strikes the ball cleanly, is a good finisher and connects well. He came in off the left late on and got us a couple of goals.

“Even here he played alongside Jan Kirchhoff, but I think he's better as an attacking midfielder. We'll find exactly the right spot for him. This was good for him. He scored an own goal on debut at City which was hard for him, but he's got two here. He'll be a really good buy for us in time. He needs a bit of developing.”

Moyes can take satisfaction from McNair’s first goals sealing a trip to St Mary’s in the next round of the EFL Cup, but the bigger picture is that Sunderland need to find a way of winning in the Premier League too.

Sunderland head into back-to-back home dates with Crystal Palace and West Brom knowing they need to find a way of collecting three points for the first time this season.

“We need to go into the next few games with the confidence to show what we can do, and play better,” said Moyes. “We're a bit short on experienced forwards. We played a 17-year-old (Joel Asoro), and Duncan Watmore who can do a bit. And we caused real problems with their pace and energy.

“This was the first win (after an earlier victory against Shrewsbury) ... it won't change our season, but it's a good win, gets us in the next round, and I'll use to get the supporters with us in the next few home games and move up the league.

“Every club needs to win. We need it as much as anybody. We wanted to get a bit of momentum going. I hope it’s the start of a run of games to get us to the cup final, but also a bit of belief, getting that winning feeling around the club, a bit of confidence. It would have been a difficult game for most teams, coming here. So it was a good result.”

The Sunderland boss was particularly impressed with the performance of his £13.5m signing Didier Ndong, who he asked to play on the right of a four man midfield.

Moyes said: “We're having to alter, to change, but I want to build on what Big Sam did, avoiding relegation. But even that word, we shouldn't be saying that word. Would I take avoiding relegation at the end of this year? Of course I would. But with Ndong, there's a player there, at 22, with his energy. I'd hope to get more. But I can't do it in one window, and we don't have big cash for signings. Some we'll get right. Others we won't. Ndong will take his time to build his play. Time's the word. Sometimes in this game, we don't always get it.”

Sunderland fielded Patrick van Aanholt for the full 90 minutes at Loftus Road, just days after he was taken out of the starting line-up at Tottenham prior to kick-off because of results of a standard cardiology scan.

Van Aanholt said: "I was indeed surprised (on Sunday), because there is really nothing to worry about. I've been sick last week. I picked up a virus and that would have crept in my body, possibly even to my heart.

"We had to make a scan, but the scan is offered late or too late at the FA and therefore I had to sit in the stand. I felt nothing in my heart. I'm just fit."

Moyes added: “The club will say something a bit more on it in the next day or so, but you can only take my word that what we did was in Pat's best interests. We'll try and make things clearer in the next few days.”