Are Rangers on their way back? A win at Southampton and all other results going their way could be the start of something special according to Greg Sangwine.
It’s been quite a weekend in the Premier League relegation dog fight. Many had thought that Reading, Wigan and Aston Villa would be defeated with games against Everton, Liverpool and Manchester City but QPR winning away at Southampton was not expected. A weekend many experts expected to effectively relegate QPR and be a huge boost to Southampton has turned out very differently indeed.
It seemed to many as if three teams - Wigan, Reading and Aston Villa – were fighting over two spots however we now have a situation where five teams are still fighting for survival. QPR are still clinging on by their finger nails. And there could yet be other teams pulled into it - Stoke’s recent form has given hope that their anti-football will be played in the Championship next season and fans in the Potteries were calling for manager Tony Pulis to go during a weekend defeat to West Ham.
The facts say there is now a seven point gap between QPR in last and Southampton in sixteenth. Southampton still hold a three point lead over Wigan and Aston Villa and a four point lead over Reading but their situation is not as strong as many would have thought prior to kick off. This weekend other teams will suddenly be looking over their shoulders worrying that Rangers’ expensive players could actually gel together to fight for a comeback. In the case of Reading and Aston Villa they’re playing each other and therefore points must be dropped.
Should QPR find a way to win back to back Premier League games for the first time in 17 years this Saturday then you really could say that it is game on in the relegation race. Wigan play at Everton in an FA Cup quarter final and you’ll be sure that a QPR win would filter through to them. Their defeat to Liverpool damaged their goal difference and that yet may come in to play. Southampton have a tricky looking away game at Carrow Road.
The psychological effects of back to back wins for QPR ahead of a trip to Villa Park would be absolutely huge. A week ago QPR looked dead and buried and Southampton took a lead at Newcastle which showed them having moved to 30 points in the ‘as it stands’ table. Smart money certainly says Southampton and the seasoned survivors Wigan will likely stay in the league and QPR will drop out but if Rangers do make the most unlikely of comebacks I’m sure the first two weekends in March will be where experts will say it all changed. Fans of Wigan, Southampton, Aston Villa and Reading will be hoping that Sunderland beat QPR and ruin their survival chances.
Last year at this time QPR travelled to a Sunderland side distracted by an FA Cup quarter final replay against Everton after a dramatic Jamie Mackie inspired comeback against Liverpool. More than 1,000 Rangers fans took the trip hoping that we’d drag ourselves out of trouble with a second win in four days but a truly awful performance and 3-1 loss followed. Recently, I wrote that Rangers only do things for the sake of entertainment and a forum post prior to the Southampton game that we’d stay up because we’ll win our next five games. Admittedly it was more in hope than expectation but if we beat Sunderland and for the second week in a row other results go our way we’ll all believe won’t we?
On paper QPR should have never been in this mess but the 2012/13 Premier League season could yet turn into one of Harry Redknapp’s greatest ever achievements.
Tweet @loftforwords
Pictures – Action Images