DICKIE LEARNS A LESSON TO ROCK ROVERS

MARK WARBURTON has no doubt Adam Armstrong is on his way to the Premier League.

That, in a way, was a backhanded compliment to Rob Dickie, who had been singled out as QPR’S weak link by Blackburn boss Tony Mowbray.

Dickie (above, right, with Armstrong) had the last laugh, his crucial 64th-minute block of a goal-bound Armstrong effort securing a first home win since November for Rangers.

It came 10 minutes after his own shot was blocked and fell to Yoann Barbet to smuggle in QPR’S first goal at Loftus Road in 2021.

Mowbray revealed he started 18-goal top scorer Armstrong on the left to expose Dickie. He explained: “You play strengths against perceived weaknesses. Dickie’s a very good footballer but can’t run like Armstrong can run.”

Tactically it was a no-brainer after Armstrong had shown Dickie a clean pair of heels at Ewood Park in November to score twice in a 3-1 win.

But QPR’S summer arrival from Oxford stuck to his task on Saturday and is starting to build a solid back three with Barbet and skipper Geoff Cameron, with only one goal conceded from open play since the turn of the year.

Warburton said: “Armstrong is a Premier League centre-forward. Look at the quality of his finishing, the timing of his runs. His awareness on the ball.

“I’ve no doubts he goes to the Premier League. For Rob, who is getting better with every game, it was a good lesson. That is the type of learning he needs. You can’t replicate that in training.”