Luke O’Nien makes promise to Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray after opening Championship account

Delighted Luke O’Nien celebrated his first Championship goal at QPR – and joked that he has promised Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray he would score 15 a season if he played up front. O’Nien has played much of the season in defence but started in midfield alongside Alex Pritchard at Loftus Road as Mowbray freshened up his side and left out Dan Neil and Edouard Michut.

O’Nien responded by scoring the opening goal in the 3-0 win, and he underlined his versatility by offering to play up front to help on-loan Leeds United man Joe Gelhardt, who is the club’s only specialist centre-forward following Ross Stewart’s season-ending injury. “I keep telling him [Mowbray] I’ll score 15 goals a season up front,” smiled O’Nien.

“We really enjoyed the evening, from back to front the subs that came on, it was just a top, top night. “The fans, everyone, it was a really, really good evening.

“As always I said to the gaffer I’ll play where you need me. If it’s a job off the bench, if I’m coming on or if I’m starting I will do the best job I can for the team and for the club.

“I really enjoyed it and the two boys at the back are just monsters in the best possible way. Pritch helped me out in midfield because it’s been a long time coming since I’ve played there. I think I signed as a midfielder and have probably only played there three times and that’s this season.

“The subs that came on as well were different class and really impacted the game, were involved in the two goals and seeing it out. It was just a top job all round.”

O’Nien scored from close range after Dan Ballard’s header from a corner had been parried by QPR keeper Seny Dieng. Anthony Patterson saved a penalty from Ilias Chair in the second half to preserve the Black Cats’ lead, before Jack Clarke added two goals late on to kill off the game and send Sunderland up to fifth place and into the play-off spots.

O’Nien’s goal was his second of the season – the other coming in the FA Cup win at Shrewsbury Town last month – and his first in the Championship. He said: “I think knowing [QPR’s] record – I think they had only won one in ten or something coming into this – getting that first goal would be a huge advantage..

“We got the goal, were solid defensively and when we needed Patto [Patterson] as well he delivers as always – the postman in the goal! It was a very good evening and a very good Valentine’s Day.”