West Brom V QPR at The Hawthorns : Match Preview

06 October 2012 08:20
West Brom V QPR - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.

Clarke backs Hughes to get Rangers right

West Brom manager Steve Clarke wants to add to bottom side QPR's misery this weekend but is backing his former Chelsea team-mate Mark Hughes to revive their fortunes in the long term. Albion will be looking to win their fourth successive top-flight home game at the start of a campaign for the first time in 93 years.

It is in stark contrast to Rangers, who revamped their squad this summer but are still searching for their first win of the campaign in the Barclays Premier League. Clarke wants to ensure QPR, beaten 2-1 at home by West Ham on Monday, leave the Hawthorns empty-handed but has faith in Hughes to turn the west Londoners' current predicament around.

He said: "You go to a club, they invest in a number of players, sometimes it gels quickly, other times it takes a little bit longer. "That is the case with QPR. They have got some really good players. It hasn't quite clicked for them. "It is up to us to make sure this Saturday it doesn't click for them and they are still struggling going into the international break. That is our job. "They need to turn their season around and we need to make sure we are 100 per cent at it and make sure it doesn't happen this weekend. "It is a difficult situation for Mark Hughes. But he has got far more experience than me in terms of being a manager.

"I'm sure he has been in this position a couple of times before and he will know what to do - and he will know how to get his team out of it. "There is expectation at every club. There is an expectation level at West Brom and it is something you've got to live with and deal with.

"Hughes admits everyone at the QPR is frustrated that they are yet to record a league win this season but remains confident in the ability of his players. "The one emotion that we are all displaying is a little bit of frustration to be perfectly honest," he said.

"We know that in the building we have got quality and we have displayed that in a number of games, most noticeably against Man City, Chelsea and Tottenham where we played exceptionally well but only got one point for our efforts. "So we know we can compete in this league, at the moment we are finding it difficult to get performances in line with results and as a consequence we haven't picked up as many points as we would have liked.

"There have already been suggestions that Rangers chairman Tony Fernandes may be looking to replace Hughes but the former Manchester City boss remains positive on his relationship with the Malaysian businessman. He said: "We are six games into a very long season, we understand what was the requirement at the end of the season and that hasn't changed.

"We are working to the right level - I've got great support here, a great relationship with Tony and Amit (Bhatia, vice-chairman) and everyone at the club and that will continue. "They understand how I work, they know that I have experience in these situations and in this league and long term we will take this club forward."

Source: PA