Life not getting any easier for Warnock

NEIL WARNOCK is expecting a tough encounter when he takes his QPR side to Swansea tonight.

The Rs have endured a tumultuous campaign since their return to the Premier League, winning three times on the road but just once at home.

Swansea are two points better off than the west Londoners and have excelled since promotion to the Premier League.

Warnock tipped the Welsh outfit for play-off success last season and is delighted to see them flourishing in the top flight.

“I am pleased for Swans manager Brendan Rodgers,” the Rs boss said. “He has not had it all his own way, with many ups and downs. I remember speaking to him during one of his downs and I hope to think he took on board what I was saying.

“I like Brendan and I think he has got a lot going for him. He doesn’t change his principles and they are lovely on the eye.”

QPR come into the match off the back of a last-gasp 3-2 defeat at home to Sunderland. The Hoops looked set for a point after clawing back a two-goal deficit until Wes Brown’s 89th-minute header.

“The goals we conceded the other night were the worst I have ever seen,” Warnock said of the defeat.

“By comparison though, I think Swansea have had eight clean sheets, which is fantastic. I think you have to look after your own and hope you can sort it out on the training ground.”

Whoever Warnock chooses in defence is likely to face the tough task of shackling Swansea striker Danny Graham. The 26-year-old has netted five times since his £3.5m move from Watford and Warnock revealed he could have quite easily been wearing the blue and white hoops tomorrow.

“I had Danny Graham in my house,” Warnock said. “I thought a deal was all done and dusted. He will be playing against us and it would have been nice for him to be with us.

“He is a nice lad but that happened on four or five occasions in the summer. Doing a lot of work, spending a lot of weeks chasing players to finally get them to agree and then not to be able to sign them was a massive blow to me. It meant it was a waste of time for sort of eight or nine weeks when we really should have done some of the business.”