Redknapp defends players after QPR loss

QPR manager Harry Redknapp defended his players after their 2-0 defeat at Brighton.

The loss was their fourth in six matches and meant they remain nine points behind second-placed Burnley having now played the same number of games as the Clarets.

Rangers, already missing injured top scorer Charlie Austin, were also without Kevin Doyle, who suffered a knee injury at Birmingham on Saturday.

They dominated much of the game at the Amex Stadium but were unable to break the deadlock before Albion scored twice in the space of eight minutes.

Redknapp said: “It was very frustrating. We were just waiting for a goal to go in, our keeper’s not had a shot to save, and suddenly we’re 1-0 down. In football that can happen.

“I’m the first to hold my hands up when we get beaten – we were useless when we lost at Nottingham Forest – but tonight for 80 minutes we were as good as I’ve seen us play.

“You saw all the good play, the build-up and making chances – we just couldn’t get on the end of it and score.

“We dominated the game, we just couldn’t get the break. If we could have got our noses in front there wouldn’t have been a problem.

“It’s difficult at the moment. We lost Kevin Doyle on Saturday and were already without Charlie Austin. Will Keane worked hard up front though and has a good future.”

And Redknapp admitted that Rangers’ prospects of winning automatic promotion now look remote.

“It’s going to be tough now to make the top two, but we’ve got to keep going,” he said.

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