O’NEILL GOAL IS A BETTER STRIKE RATE

MICHAEL O’NEILL watched his ailing Stoke side draw another blank, then warned: “We’ll have to bring in better players.”

The strikers in the frame are Sheffield Wednesday’s Josh Windass – also interesting QPR – Plymouth’s Luke Jephcott, and loan target Liam Delap, 18, the son of former Stoke player Rory and who is at Manchester City.

To pay for fresh firepower, 20-year-old central defender Nathan Collins could be sold for upwards of £10million, with Burnley possibly lining up a bid.

O’neill has to slim down and sharpen up a bloated squad he inherited when City were bottom of the Championship. There are nearly 40 players on the books, with 12 out on loan due to return, and the pressure of Financial Fair Play rules still hovering.

After this latest set-back, against QPR, he said: “The second half of the season, we’ve fallen short. We haven’t got enough goals.

“Last season, Sam Clucas scored 11 from midfield and we’ve not had that input from midfield this year. Nick Powell has scored 12 but more as a No.10 than a No.8. Nor have we had goals from the wide areas.

“We have to get more goals in the team. So we’ll try to bring in players that can help us do that.”

Charlie Austin (celebrating, above) and Osman Kakay sealed QPR’S third away victory on the trot, but for the Potters it is six in a row without a win.

Kakay, 23, joined Rangers aged eight and assistant manager John Eustace, said: “Everyone’s proud of Ossie. He’s such a good, honest player with a fantastic attitude.”

STOKE: Davies 6, Smith 6 (Vokes 76, 6), Baath 6, Souttar 5, Nortingtondavies 7, Mikel 6, Matondo 7, Clucas 6, Powell 5 (Thompson 13, 6), Tymon 6, Fletcher 7 (Brown 56, 6)

QPR: Dieng 7, Dickie 6, De Wijs 6, Barbet 6, Kakay 7, Johansen 6 (Bettache 82), Chair 7 (Thomas 75, 6), Willock 6 (Bonne 82), Wallace 6, Dykes 8, Austin 7 (Field 64, 6)

REF: Craig Pawson 7