Hughes looks towards Cesar

The 33-year-old produced an outstanding display in the 1-0 defeat at Arsenal, finally beaten by Mikel Arteta's scrambled late effort which looked offside.

QPR may be rooted to the foot of the table on just three points and without a win in nine matches, but Hughes feels Cesar - signed from Inter Milan ahead of the northern summer transfer deadline - can play a big part in the side's revival.

"It is not only his ability as a keeper, but as a guy, and his mentality in the dressing room is huge for us. That is a real benefit we will tap into," Hughes said.

"He understands what it takes. He drives people around him and inspires people by his manner and presence and by his performance.

"Over the years I had the pleasure of playing with [Peter] Schmeichel, [Neville] Southall and he is right up there."

Despite QPR's predicament, Hughes continues to have the full support of club owner Tony Fernandes.

Hughes said: "He watches every game we play and has been of the view that we all have - which is in terms of performance and what we have been producing football-wise, he feels more than happy because he feels we have the potential to win games in the Premier League.

"I have got a better team than I had last year and I won games last year with a squad that wasn't at the level that we have now, so I know that at some point in the future we will end up winning games again.

"Everyone could see from the performance at Arsenal that we have the potential to go up against lesser teams and win games.

"We are producing good football. It's not just against teams in and around us - it's against the top teams in the country, some of the top teams in Europe. As a consequence of that we take great belief."

QPR has matches coming up against fellow strugglers Reading and Southampton next month.

Midfielder Esteban Granero believes once the first win comes, everything else will fall into place.

The Spaniard said: "We know we have deserved more than three points until now, but we cannot think back. We just have to keep pushing, training hard, like we have been doing.

"When you get the first win after losing many games, it is like an injection of confidence.

"It can help you take the good ways and start winning."