Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink says left-back Jack Robinson has been struggling emotionally to deal with his various injury setbacks, but has backed him to be an asset for QPR.

Robinson, who joined the Rs from Liverpool in August 2014, was loaned out to Huddersfield in his first season and suffered cruciate ligament damage while playing for the Yorkshire club the following March, condemning him to a long spell out of action.

He then made his long-awaited debut against Charlton Athletic in April this year, but a niggling knee problem related to his last injury thereafter has meant his only other competitive appearance for the Rs was in last week’s dismal home defeat to local rivals Brentford.

The 23-year-old looked rusty during the 64 minutes he was on the field, but the Rs boss remains confident the former Blackpool and Huddersfield loanee will come good and put his injury hell behind him.

He told the Times: “Jack is a player I really like and that is why we have had so much patience with him.

“Yes, he’s had a few knocks on his brain but it’s not easy for a young boy with the amount of setbacks he has had so far.

“He’s fit now and he’s playing. He’s a player I really like and is the kind of player I can use in the future.”