QPR are closing in on the big drop
IT’S the hope that kills you. Just ask Queens Park Rangers manager Chris Ramsey. There was a period at Loftus Road yesterday when you envisaged nothing other than victory for the relegation-threatened home side. Instead, they got nothing, just a 10th defeat in 11 matches. Without a dramatic turnaround in fortunes QPR are heading back to the Championship. But Ramsey believes 12 points from their final eight games will be enough to see his side safe. He said: ‘We’re not in need of a miracle, but we need a miraculous run of form and I think we are capable of doing that. ‘We deserved more but we should have maximised that performance with at least a point or three. The players are disappointed because the performance was very good. We are showing everyone there’s plenty of fight in us. There have been teams in slightly worse situations who have survived.’ Much will depend on QPR’s next two fixtures: they face West Brom on Saturday week before heading to Aston Villa three days later. The pressure is mounting and Ramsey knows it. ‘What do we need from the games against West Brom and Aston Villa? Six points. There’s no point in saying we need a point, we need wins.’ Ramsey’s mood was in stark contrast to Roberto Martinez, who described this victory as his most satisfying since taking over in the summer of 2013. It has been a rough week for the Everton boss. The 5-2 Europa League hammering against Dynamo Kiev on Thursday added to the criticism levelled at him and graffiti on the walls of Goodison Park calling for the Spaniard to be sacked did not help his mood. This win did, though. He said: ‘This wasn’t a day to be technical, this was a day to be strong as a group of players. ‘The graffiti? We are a very passionate club. When you don’t get the results you want, you will get unrest. As a manager I accept that but I focus on what I need to do to get a winning team. I always respect the views from the outside.’ The win, which puts Everton on the brink of safety, did come at a cost, however. Forward’s Arouna Kone and Romelu Lukaku will both be assessed this morning after sustaining respective knee and hamstring injuries. After a bright opening from the hosts, Everton took an 18th-minute lead against the run of play. It was a cracker, too, Seamus Coleman stroking a right-footed angled shot from 16 yards past Robert Green. The goal encapsulated QPR’s season. After going close to taking the lead through Nedum Onuoha, they were behind a minute later. But there comes a point when it stops being unlucky. Rangers fans are starting to acknowledge that and their reaction to poor play from Bobby Zamora in the first half was testament to that. Ramsey’s side mustered a reaction when substitute Eduardo Vargas equalised from close range in the 65th minute. Loftus Road was rocking, home fans sensing what could be a season-defining three points. The optimism did not last long, however, as Everton secured the victory 12 minutes later through Aaron Lennon’s first goal for the club.