Taarabt masterclass gets QPR back on track

QPR 4 Swansea 0

The Morocco international, a £1million bargain signing from Tottenham in the summer, was at his unplayable best as he set up the opener for Jamie Mackie, won a penalty for Heidar Helguson to tuck in number two and wrapped up the scoring himself with a fine double.

Yet Taarabt can delight and frustrate in equal measure, as shown before Christmas when his eagerness to impress in front of the television cameras contributed to Rangers’ 19-match unbeaten run coming to an end against Watford.

But Rangers boss Warnock said: “Taarabt was excellent, that’s what we know he can do.

“It’s one of those things you have to accept that sometimes he’s the opposite — like he was on the television the other day.”

When asked if he feared a top-flight club coming in for his talisman when the transfer window opens next week, Warnock added: “I don’t think anyone in the Premier League will want him — who would put up with him?”

A commanding victory for the table-toppers kept some fresh air between themselves and the chasing pack and banished any post-Christmas blues following recent back-to-back defeats.

They went ahead after 16 minutes with Taarabt the instigator, tip-toeing past a succession of Swansea challenges on his way to the edge of the penalty area before teeing up Mackie.

The match exploded into controversy two minutes later when Kyle Walker’s marauding run was clumsily halted by Alan Tate 20 yards out.

As players from both sides squared up, Tate and Clint Hill’s tete-a-tete was a little too heated for referee Phil Crossley’s liking and both left backs were sent off.

Yet Warnock and opposite number Brendan Rodgers were bemused by the decision.

“I still don’t understand the red card, so we will be appealing against that — he’s not lifted his hands or anything,” Warnock said.

“If Clint was going to get himself sent off it wouldn’t be for something like that — it was astounding.”

Rodgers also confirmed he would look at the incident again before considering an appeal.

After the break Taarabt drew a foul from Ashley Williams to earn the penalty from which Helguson scored.

Taarabt was not finished, though, and in the 70th minute he collected Helguson’s knock-down and hit a fierce drive under De Vries for number three.

And 10 minutes later, with Swansea by now sick of the sight of Rangers’ number seven, Taarabt jinked his way inside from the left touchline and unleashed a superb 20-yard curler which De Vries could only help into the net.

Taarabt trooped off to a deserved standing ovation as Rangers shrugged off their recent blip and proved they will take some catching in 2011.

It capped a sensational display which left even Rodgers applauding.

“I felt we started really well, created some chances and if we’d taken them it would have been a different game,” Rodgers reflected.

“Up until the sendings-off we looked comfortable. I thought 4-0 was harsh on us.

“But three of the goals we gave away were very disappointing — although the final one was a wonderful piece of skill by a top player.”

The result is another dent in Swansea’s promotion challenge — they have now picked up just eight points from their last eight games.