Hughes: QPR can flourish as underdogs

QPR boss Mark Hughes can survive a challenging run home and avoid relegation from the English Premier League.

In their final 10 matches, Hughes’ side will face seven of the top eight sides in the EPL, starting on Wednesday with a visit from Liverpool.

Winless in seven matches and one point adrift of 17th-placed Bolton, QPR need to start winning if they are to avoid a quick return to the Championship, and Hughes has backed his side to avoid the drop.

Speaking to www.qpr.co.uk, he said: “It’s not going to be easy, make no bones about that. It’s a difficult run-in.”

“Maybe, bizarrely, the pressure is off somewhat going into those games.”

“When you come up against the top teams, the expectation will maybe be that we’re the underdogs and not expected to win.”

“We can use that as a positive and hopefully gain from that. We’ve got threats in the team that can hurt any other in the Premier League.”

“We’ve got to just make sure that we’ve got a platform and an opportunity to win games. We’ve got the weapons to do that.”

Hughes also revealed the impact the sudden on-field collapse of Bolton player Fabrice Muamba had had on his players, and wished the midfielder a speedy recovery.

“It was a little bit flat today (at training), actually. I sensed that,” he said.

“Guys in the club that know Fabrice personally will obviously have him in their thoughts and we all hope and pray that he comes through this time.”

“The events of the weekend were shocking for everybody and I think it resonates people in the football business because it just demonstrates the fragility of life.”

“When it happens to a young man who is quite obviously a very fit individual, and he’s struck down at match time in front of everyone, then it just becomes incomprehensible.”