Massimo Luongo credits his new role in the QPR team for his rise in form and the R’s hot streak ahead of this Saturday’s clash with Stoke City.

Luongo has scored in his last two games for club and country, once against Brentford and then for Australia against Korea Republic.

He hailed manager Steve McClaren for bringing consistency to his game by handing him a more clearly-defined role.

He said: “The manager has given me a nice role in the team.

“He has defined my game a little bit – I’ve always wanted to be a box-to-box midfielder or do a bit of everything but he has simplified my game a lot.

“He has got me playing in front of the back four, keeping things moving, not so much creating things around the box but getting people in play and building up from the back when we have the ball.

“He has helped make my game a lot easier, which means I can keep that consistency week-in, week-out.”

The consistency is evident.

Since losing to Swansea late in September, the R’s have won five games of seven, losing one and drawing the other, including a 3-2 win over rivals Brentford last time out.

Their run of form has powered them up the table and they now sit just four points from fourth place Sheffield United.

Midfielder Luongo, 26, said: “It was hard at the start of the season.

“We weren’t doing well as a team and I take that responsibility on myself because I feel that whenever I play well the team does well.

“The atmosphere has been really good in the changing room, and that has helped with our run of form.”

Rangers face a trip to Stoke City on Saturday, who sit 14th in the Championship, four points behind them, and could separate themselves from the bottom half of the table with a win.

“We are so confident right now,” Luongo added.

“We feel we know how to win games. We know how to control games even when we don’t have the ball, which is such a rare quality to have.

“It’s really exciting and we all can’t wait for the next game – that’s how we feel.

“They have Premier League-quality players, who can hurt you, so it is going to be an interesting one.”