ALL EYES ON WIGAN AS WARNOCK’S BORO LOSE AGAIN
THEY had never heard of Au Yeung Wai Kay in Middlesbrough this time last week. But it may well be that Wigan’s mystery owner is the man who keeps them in the Championship. New Boro boss Neil Warnock was perhaps right when he said this is the hardest of his 18 managerial jobs. Yesterday was his first game in charge at the Riverside but it all felt very familiar, another defeat to leave his side third from bottom and without a home win since Boxing Day. Enter Wai Kay, a previously unknown Chinese businessman who could emerge as more central to Boro’s survival prospects than Warnock or any of his players. He put Wigan into administration last
Wednesday and with that comes the likelihood of a 12-point deduction that would send the Latics into the bottom three. On the evidence of this performance, that penalty could be Boro’s best hope of survival. Warnock said: ‘We just have to concentrate on ourselves. We have to get results. If not, Luton and Barnsley will pass us.’
But Warnock’s men looked incapable of saving themselves here and were beaten by a goal from Middlesbrough-born Jordan Hugill. He spent last season on loan at his hometown club and never produced anything as stunning as the 30-yard volley that ended QPR’s run of three losses since the restart. Hugill used to work as a barman at the Dickens Inn pub in the town and it’s just as well the locals are allowed back in after lockdown, for their team are a tough watch right now. Warnock added: ‘The players haven’t got to get too down. I’ve told them they are very fortunate to be footballers at a club like this and they have to fight tooth and nail.’
Warnock tried to inject some creativity by starting with former Manchester United prodigy Ravel Morrison for the first time. As neat and tidy as he was, the 27-year-old Sheffield United loanee rarely vacated the centre circle — and gone is the energy that would see him break from midfield during the promise of his early years. On the subject of potential unfulfilled, it was hard to believe that Hugill was signed by parent club West Ham for £10million, on the evidence of his effort when sprung clear on 31 minutes. He never looked comfortable one-on-one with Dejan Stojanovic and dithered for so long that it allowed George Friend to recover and block the shot.
Within 60 seconds, however, Hugill (right) had smashed first time beyond Stojanovic from distance. It was a concern when he then fell to the turf, but QPR boss Mark Warburton revealed: ‘He felt his hamstring just before he struck the ball. If he hadn’t he might have dribbled, so I’m actually pretty thankful!’ The injury meant Hugill’s final contribution was the goal. It proved to be the most telling of the afternoon and means QPR are all but safe. For Boro, their fate could be decided off the pitch — and that is perhaps just as well.