John Eustace’s debut as Derby County manager was far from ideal, with the club losing 4-0 at Queens Park Rangers.
Eustace, who recently left Blackburn Rovers, hoped for a strong start but was disappointed when QPR scored twice in each half. Ilias Chair opened the goal in the 21st minute, capitalising on a mistake by his opponent.
Koki Saito added to QPR’s lead with a crisp finish just before halftime. Chair extended the lead by scoring again near the hour mark, followed by Ronnie Edwards’ header nine minutes later to seal the victory. Derby are now winless in their previous nine away league games, putting them in danger of relegation due to a lower goal difference than Hull City.
Eustace acknowledged some positives but admitted they were insufficient given their precarious league position. “We started really well,” he told Sky Sports. “They scored a really great goal and took the wind out of their sails.” He emphasised the need for hard work on the training ground, noting that confidence is lacking within the team.
Eustace stated his goal for a positive performance, but acknowledged that it was not reached. “I wanted to see a good positive performance tonight,” according to him. Despite the loss, he stays focused on preparing for the upcoming relegation battle. “Everyone can see that we are in a relegation fight,” Eustace said.
The result lifted QPR to 11th place, surpassing Watford and Norwich City ahead of subsequent weekend matches. Their recent success against newly promoted teams continued, as they overcame Oxford United in December, ending an 11-match winless record against such opponents.
