Queens Park Rangers’ bid to pick up some vital Premier League points over the hectic December fixture programme has been hit by the news Sandro will be missing until the new year because of a knee injury.

The 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder, who has made eight appearances in the Premier League since joining from Tottenham in the summer, suffered the latest knee problem during Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

Sandro was forced off just after the hour mark at St James’ Park and following a scan on the right knee, the R’s club doctor has now confirmed he is facing a stint on the sidelines.

“Sandro took a bad knock to his right knee, and has suffered damage to his medial ligaments,” Peter Florida said on the club’s website.

The positive news for R’s boss Harry Redknapp is that Sandro’s injury is not related to the anterior cruciate ligament injury he suffered during his time with Spurs which kept him out for most of last year.

However, while Sandro has yet to find the form which earned him a £10million move to Loftus Road, his absence will be felt as the R’s look to drag themselves off the foot of the Premier League table and make up the current three-point gap to the final position of safety.

QPR are 1.90 to be relegated back to the Championship after just one season in the Premier League, while they can be backed at 2.33 to defeat third-bottom Leicester at home on Saturday in an early relegation six-pointer. The Foxes are 3.05 and the draw is 3.20.