Mark Warburton outlines what QPR must do to make the Championship play-offs

Mark Warburton said that his QPR side might have to win all of their remaining five games to make the play-offs after they lost 2-1 against Preston at Deepdale on Saturday afternoon.

Jimmy Dunne’s own goal gave the Lilywhites the lead before Cameron Archer’s 50th-minute strike doubled North End’s lead.

Andre Gray pulled one back in stoppage time when he tucked his penalty away, but it was too little, too late as the Hoops fell to their seventh defeat in eight Championship games.

“We created three clear-cut chances in the first half, and we have to score. It’s as simple as that – we’ve just got to score,” said Warburton.

“Overall, we have had four of five outstanding chances and a few half chances, and that’s the positive, but we have to take them.

“We have got to do our jobs. For the first goal, [we should] stop the cross, and for the second, [we should] show the player down the line. We have given away two sloppy goals, and that’s the frustration.

“This is a strong group, and they are devastated in the dressing room. They knew what we had to do. We needed four, possibly five wins [to make the play-offs]. Now we may need to win all remaining five [games].

“Sheffield United was a tough evening in terms of demands on the squad. Rob Dickie is out for the season with a hamstring injury, Yoann has a swollen knee, Jeff Hendrick has a tight hamstring, and that’s the same with Lee Wallace.

“In the warm-up, Keiren Westwood had to come in. He had been unwell, but we thought he was over it as he felt better this morning. But when he started to warm up, he felt ill again, and he was violently sick in the changing room.”