QPR boss Ainsworth remains confident of Championship safety despite Birmingham defeat – but makes upcoming Wigan clash admission

QPR boss Gareth Ainsworth believes that players returning from injury will help bolster their chances of Championship safety – but admits they have to beat bottom-of-the-table Wigan Athletic after the international break.

The west Londoners lost 1-0 to Birmingham at Loftus Road on Saturday, with Tahith Chong’s third-minute strike the difference.

QPR are 19th in the Championship – six points clear of the bottom three – but have only won one of their previous five outings under the former Wycombe boss Ainsworth.

“We’ve got eight cup finals to go, and we need to win a couple of them. I believe we can do that.

“In the next couple of weeks, with all the injuries coming back, I think that will boost the squad, and the morale will raise.

“I’ve got players coming back who haven’t played for months and haven’t been in this sort of decline, so they’re quite fresh and will be mentally OK.

“Hopefully we’ll get them up to speed and be strong against Wigan, which is a game we really need to win.

“I’m hoping that the likes of Kenneth Paal, Ethan Laird, Leon Balogun, Ilias Chair, Chris Willock and Jake Clarke-Salter will return – we’ve got some big names in the treatment room. Once they’re back, we’ll see a different side out there.”

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