Jonjo Shelvey is urging Newcastle United's fans to be patient ahead of QPR visit

It is common practice for away teams to come to Tyneside and sit in to try and frustrate the Magpies.

And Shelvey is expecting Ian Holloway's men to do the same again.

But, if that is the case on Wednesday night, Shelvey, talking to NUFC TV, urged the fans to stay patient.

"I can understand the fans - they expect us to blow teams out the water in 10 minutes," said the England international, described by Holloway as the best player he has ever seen in the Championship.

"But it doesn't always happen.

"If it takes until the 89th minute to get a 1-0 win, that's fine.

"Luckily when we win, we win by a big score."

The last team to come to St James - Rotherham United - did just that.

Putting 11 men behind the ball they tried to frustrate Rafa Benitez's men, and succeeded in doing so until the stroke of half-time when Daryl Murphy opened the scoring in the eventual 4-0 win.

Shelvey was man-marked by Will Vaulks in that one, and he admits it was a very frustrating experience.

Although, he was happy to allow others in the starting XI the time and space to shine.

"I'm not going to lie - it is frustrating," he said.

"In a way it is a compliment, if players are going to come to put one or two players on you.

"At one point I stood and tied my shoelaces against Rotherham and he was stood there with me.

"He was having a bit banter with me in the game - to be fair he was quite a nice lad. If I'd went to the toilet during the game he would have gone with me.

"It did free up other players on our team to do their thing.

"There manager came and apologised to me after the game for the way they played.

"I am not a fan of teams just sitting in. I like it when they come and take the game to you, because they have a better chance of getting something.

"But that is just what it is like in this league - it'll be different if we go up."