Steve McClaren's QPR future on the line as boss faces crucial week at Loftus Road

Suffering: McClaren during Saturday's 7-1 defeat to West Brom
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Giuseppe Muro20 August 2018

Steve McClaren will find his job under threat if QPR fail to get a point from home games against Bristol City and Wigan this week.

McClaren has been granted a stay of execution after Saturday’s 7-1 thrashing at West Brom but the 57-year-old is already under pressure after three straight Championship defeats.

QPR face Bristol City at Loftus Road tomorrow and another defeat would leave McClaren, appointed in May, in a precarious position ahead of the clash with Wigan on Saturday.

New QPR chairman Amit Bhatia — back for a second spell at the helm — did not mention McClaren when he tweeted after the game on Saturday: “We have got to take responsibility and fix things ahead of a vital week.”

The Rangers board want to stay loyal to McClaren. They understand he has a young squad and been unable to spend any money on new signings. But the manner of the performance against West Brom was a huge concern.

QPR are bottom of the Championship and McClaren said after the defeat at the Hawthorns: “It is one of the worst days of my career. The manner in which it happened was a shock. I never saw it coming at half-time [when the score was 1-1].”

McClaren is desperate to sign reinforcements on loan to strengthen a young squad. EFL clubs have until the end of the month to sign players on loan and McClaren wants to bolster his forward line and strengthen in defence.

Former QPR midfielder Marc Bircham, who was part of former boss Ian Holloway’s coaching staff last term, wrote on Twitter: “I did say to people there would come a time that people will realise what a good [job] we did last season in difficult circumstances.

“If we now treat this season like a relegation battle, starting with Tuesday v Bristol City, and fight for every minute in every game for every point, we will be fine.”

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