Stephan rues ‘turning point’ in QPR loss and expects ‘different’ home games

Julien Stephan felt Kwame Poku hitting the bar was a “turning point” in QPR’s defeat at West Bromwich Albion.

Rangers lost 2-1 at The Hawthorns, where Poku went close just after the interval and Nat Phillips then headed in the winner.

The visitors going ahead would doubtless have riled the home fans, with Albion boss Ryan Mason under pressure after some poor results.

And Stephan said: “I think the turning point in the game was the beginning of the second half when we had the situation with Kwame Poku, because if we score it could change completely the momentum.

“I’m pretty sure that if we score at this moment, the crowd probably would change. But it finished on the crossbar.

“After that we conceded from a second set-piece. We tried to come back but didn’t succeed to create a real momentum.”

Rangers entered the Christmas period very much in the play-off race but have taken just taken just one point from two away matches.

They will end 2025 ninth in the Championship table, still just three points from the top six.

And head coach Stephan is keen to return to Loftus Road, where his team have won four games in a row and will face Norwich on Thursday before bottom side Sheffield Wednesday visit three days later.

“Now we have two games at home and I think it will be different for us because we can use the energy of the fans, which is very important,” he said.

“I really think playing at home for the next two games will be very important.”