QPR aren’t safe just yet, but could still achieve a mid-table finish.

Massimo Luongo saved a late point for QPR against Derby on Tuesday night at Loftus Road, as he headed home a Luke Freeman free-kick in the 87th minute.

The late goal extended Derby’s winless run to 6 games, whilst fan favourite Luongo made it back-to-back goals for the first time in his QPR career. The Hoops dominated the game, with 59% possession and 21 shots on goal compared to Derby’s 6, and Joel Lynch even had a chance to nick all the points in the final seconds.

Speaking to BBC West London after the game, QPR boss Ian Holloway said:

“We’ve got the last quarter of the season left and I’ve got some wonderfully talented young lads. They’ve got to learn the game.

“Some of these young lads have already shown they’ve got bundles of ability. It’s now about getting them to believe in it and win us some games and get some more points.

With QPR 10 points from Birmingham in the first relegation spot, it is hardly safe to say that we’ve already beaten the drop. A dire start to the season saw us loitering around the drop zone till Christmas, when the results started to string together and we were able to elevate away from relegation.

In the remaining 11 fixtures, QPR are set to play 5 of the bottom 8 in Sunderland, Reading, Hull, Sheffield Wednesday and Birmingham.

So with several winnable fixtures in the run in to the end of the season, we must remain professional to see ourselves safe from relegation.

Alternatively, Ipswich dons the mid-table spot in 12th, 11 points ahead of QPR. Again, we must remain cautious but at the same time, a string of results could see us with a mid-table finish this season, transforming Holloway’s poor season into a successful one.

This is easier said than done, but with fixtures against Norwich and Leeds on the final day of the season, it could see us leapfrog both and into 12th.

For QPR to achieve this we must first rectify our inconsistency at home. Coming off the back of two home games, we have been thrashed 5-2 by Forest before drawing 1-1 with play-off hopefuls Derby, a prime example of the problem that has been setting us back this season.

Despite this though, counting only home results, we would be 11th in the table. Previously, it has been our away form that has been our downfall and whilst we haven’t exactly been prolific on the road this season, we have certainly made improvements on the last picking up 11 points on the road.

This may sound like a measly number but we have been notorious for our poor away form in recent seasons.

So whilst relegation is unlikely but still possible, a few performances could not only see us achieve safety but potentially finish in the top half of the Championship.