McDermott confident of support ahead of QPR game

Brian McDermott insists he has the backing of owner Anton Zingarevich as Reading step up their search for a first Premier League win of the season.

The Royals are hoping to climb out of their relegation zone when they travel to Mark Hughes' basement club QPR tomorrow.

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has identified McDermott as one of the managers currently under pressure, but the Reading manager is confident he has the support of Zingarevich.

"The owner was in a team meeting with us last week so he knows what we're about. He has known us since January now," McDermott said.

"Obviously we want more points on the board, but he knows that everybody is giving everything they've got, so he's been really supportive.

"In January he said to me, 'look we don't need to go up now, maybe have a real go at it the following season'.

"I said to him 'I'm 50 years of age now, I need to go up'. So I was the one who wasn't patient, but he was patient.

"He saw this season maybe a year in advance but now we're here."