QPR manager ready for relegation talk rather than 'fear' it

Gareth Ainsworth is the new boss at Queens Park Rangers, which have won only one of their last 20 matches

Queens Park Rangers manager Gareth Ainsworth says the team must not "fear" relegation and would prefer to talk about the drop, rather than it "creep up on them".

Rangers, who face Watford on Saturday, sit 20th in the Championship, seven points above relegation.

Ainsworth has lost his first two games since replacing Neil Critchley.

"People will talk about us being in this battle now and that's fine," Ainsworth said.

"I'd rather it be talked about and rather it be out there than us fearing it and it sneaking up on us."

QPR have not won in 13 matches and have lost their last five games.

The last time the west London club tasted victory was 17 December at Preston - their only win in 20 matches.

After the Watford match they travel to Blackpool, who are third bottom, before entertaining the team one place above them, Birmingham City.

"We'll definitely know the importance of the games coming up," Ainsworth continued.

"Everyone will be looking, saying that's a massive six-pointer - both Blackpool and Birmingham are huge for the club."

"Yep it's Watford"

Watford parted company with Slaven Bilic on Wednesday, when they immediately appointed Chris Wilder - their ninth full-time manager since Javi Gracia's departure in September 2019.

The Hornets, who are in 10th, have only won one of their past eight fixtures but Ainsworth, back at the club he served as a player for almost seven years, knows a battle awaits.

"What we'd give for 10th place right now," said Ainsworth. "Watford always looks a tough game and especially now. You do all your prep on Tuesday and on Wednesday, five o'clock comes and they sack Bilic and put Wilder in charge.

"I'm sure football managers will know what I mean: you prep for one style, you prep for something and then it's going to totally change so again we will have to be adaptable this week to make sure we try to negate the strengths of Watford.

"It's something that when it happens 'yep it's Watford and that's what they seem to do' but I wish it hadn't have been three days before we play them.

"They're a big spending side and it's going to be tough, but the two after that I feel are winnable games as well, ones that we have got to go into knowing the importance of them."