QPR boss predicted Leeds loanee would score before his double at Reading

QPR boss Neil Critchley told Tyler Roberts in training that he was going to score at Reading on Saturday.

The Leeds loanee bagged a double in the second half at the Madejski Stadium to secure a point for the west Londoners.

Welshman Roberts found himself in and out of the team under former Hoops boss Michael Beale. But since Critchley took over at Loftus Road, Roberts has started every game in the Championship.

Roberts bagged his first in the 66th minute after he collected a pas from new signing Jamal Lowe inside the penalty area, cut past Tom McIntyre and slotted a left-footed shot underneath Joe Lumley.

The 24-year-old scored his second in the 80th minute after he reacted quickest inside the area to bundle home Ethan Laid’s saved effort from close range.

“With Tyler, we know his quality, but it’s just about getting him in a good physical condition,” said Critchley.

“It’s been stop-start for him. He has worked really hard in training in the last few weeks. 

“We see his quality in the training of how he can finish. I said to him yesterday: ‘You’re good for a goal – I think you’re going to score.’

“When you see him in training, he can finish off both feet.

“I loved his second goal – that tap in from the six-yard box. That’s a proper goalscorers’ goal. 

“He deserved that moment. A point is the least we deserved in the game.

“We didn’t do a great deal wrong in the first half, to be honest.”

“But that is us a little bit in the first half. We had good control game, get into promising situations in the final third, and too many times with our decision-making or our quality [let us down].

“From being 2-0 down at half time, we had to show real fight, courage and belief in ourselves as a group.

“I was really proud of the second half. We scored two good goals. If any team deserved to pick up all three points, it was us.”