Whilst we have been generally improved in recent weeks, there was a feeling that the element of luck that accompanied our unbeaten run finally ran out last weekend as we put in a largely toothless display against Southampton.
Not one shot on target was the damning statistic and for a team with such fine attacking players such as Rooney, RvP, Falcao, Di Maria and Mata at our disposal, it’s hard to understand how this could happen at Old Trafford.
Southampton, meanwhile, just went about their business in much the same way that they have been doing all season and thoroughly deserved their victory.
The one good thing to have come from our games in the last few weeks is the fact that our defence is looking slightly more robust. There’s still plenty of room for improvement but it’s hard to imagine another 5-3 against the likes of Leicester happening again any time soon.
We do, however, need to get back to winning ways this afternoon and with QPR second from the bottom of the table, it looks very much like the kind of game we should be winning if we are entertaining any notion of getting back into the Champions League this year.
The good news for QPR supporters is that their lowly position is largely because of their woeful away record (ten games played, ten defeats). Their home record is actually decent and they have lost just two of their eleven home games this season.
However, it must be said that by far the standout home result was the 2-2 draw with City in November. Most of the other “big boys” have still to visit Loftus Road and I strongly suspect further damage will be inflicted there before now and the end of the season.
Starting today, hopefully.
Our last two visits to QPR in the Premier League have resulted in 2-0 victories for us and I’d like to think we can do something similar today although I think it will end up slightly closer – somewhere between 2-1 and 3-1.