Gareth Ainsworth thinks QPR are ready to surprise the Championship after beating winless Middlesbrough 2-0 to leave them bottom of the table.
Andre Dozzell’s thunderbolt opener that crashed in off the inside of the post two minutes before half-time put Rangers on track for a second win of the season. It was his first in two years with the club.
And with 19 minutes remaining former Sunderland and Newcastle midfielder Jack Colback added the second on Teesside when he fired in through a crowded area.
Ainsworth, who did not add to his squad on transfer deadline day, thinks he has seen enough already this season to suggest QPR are going to make an impact on the division.
“The enjoyment comes from getting what you deserve, over the last three or four weeks,” said Ainsworth.
“I have had a good look at myself. How I want to play. And the boys are buying into the identity. They have emptied the tank for us.
“You can put the systems in place but you can’t always get them to empty the tank. These boys are a real team for me.
“I did a little graph before the game and showed them where I want them to go, they have bought into this upward curve. I have just said this isn’t a flash in the pan. It’s been sensational and two great goals.
“As a man who shoots from distance, Andre’s goal eclipsed my goals, that was so special.
“I’m really pleased for him, and I hope he takes a leaf out of Jack’s book of two in two – that’s one player we didn’t sign for his goalscoring quality.”
While Ainsworth was impressed, Boro counterpart Michael Carrick was left wondering how his side are still searching for a first league win. Middlesbrough have claimed just one point from 15.
Sam Greenwood and Lewis O’Brien, signed on loan from Leeds and Nottingham Forest respectively, both made second-half debuts for Middlesbrough but QPR claimed the points.
Middlesbrough, last season’s play-off semi-finalists, signed 12 players during the summer window, so the squad has a completely different feel to it.
One of those newcomers, striker Emmanuel Latte Lath, was denied a goal on numerous occasions by QPR goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
Carrick said: “I’m disappointed really. We didn’t help ourselves for spells in the game, we had big chances as well, opportunities to score. We will accept it wasn’t good enough in general, that’s clear but at the same point we had the chances to take.
“We can’t keep saying it, we have to do something about it. I’m disappointed for the players, supporters, it’s not great for them to see that. Players have to find a way to get that spark back that we lacked today.
“Missing chances is part of it, the fact we are making a lot, clear-cut ones as well. Sometimes there is a spell when they don’t fall for you, but it is up to us to do something about it and make sure it doesn’t happen.
“We are having really big chances. That gives us a lot of confidence.
“There were a few things, we didn’t start as well as we could have. There are reasons we will have to look at. A slow start to the game made it harder, we were chasing after that. There were moments when we looked good and it was a mixed bag.”
Hoffenheim 4-2 Bayern Munich: Tuchel bows out on defeat thanks to Kramaric hat-trick
Bayern Munich squandered a two-goal lead to slump to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim courtesy of a second-half Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in Thomas Tuchel's final game.
Early goals from Mathys Tel and Alphonso Davies saw the injury-depleted Bavarians go 2-0 up by the sixth minute.
Hoffenheim, however, pulled a goal back through Germany international Maximilian Beier just two minutes later, with the hosts gradually taking some of the early pace out of the game.
Bayern's injury troubles were further compounded when they lost Aleksandar Pavlovic to injury in the 35th minute, and struggled to cope with Hoffenheim's threat in the second half.
Kramaric then delivered a stunning 19-minute hat-trick with the Bayern defence in ruins, ending a disappointing season in third place with 72 points.
Bayer Leverkusen finished in top spot on 90 points. VfB Stuttgart finished runners-up on 73 with a 4-0 demolition of Borussia Moenchengladbach, while Hoffenheim finished seventh, in the Europa Conference League place.
Data Debrief:
Thomas Muller made his 473rd Bundesliga appearance for Bayern on Saturday, drawing level with Sepp Maier as the club's record appearance maker in the competition.
Bayern failed to have a single shot on target in the second half, while Kramaric ran riot to subject Bayern to their worst league finish since 2011.
Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 Augsburg: Bundesliga champions make history with unbeaten season
Bayer Leverkusen became the first team in Bundesliga history to complete a full season unbeaten after beating Augsburg 2-1 on the final day.
Xabi Alonso's treble-chasing team also stretched their European record unbeaten run across all competitions this season to 51 matches.
Victor Boniface intercepted a ball from Augsburg keeper Tomas Koubek to tap in for the lead in the 12th minute before Robert Andrich, part of Germany's Euro 2024 preliminary squad, doubled the advantage from close range.
Augsburg cut the deficit when Mert Komur scored just after the hour.
Leverkusen captain Lukas Hradecky made a smart stop to maintain Leverkusen's clean sheet, as the Bundesliga champions held on to make history.
Alonso's team, who face Atalanta in the Europa League final on Wednesday and also take on Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal final on May 25, finished on 90 points, 17 ahead of second-placed Stuttgart and 18 ahead of Bayern Munich, who lost 4-2 at Hoffenheim.
Data Debrief: Leverkusen's remarkable run rolls on
What an incredible season it has been for Leverkusen, and Alonso's men are now just two wins away from unprecedented success.
Leverkusen have become only the second team in Bundesliga history to not lose a single point from winning positions in a season, matching a feat Bayern managed in 2011-12.
They have won 45 points (W13 D3) in their 17 home games in the Bundesliga this season and have remained unbeaten at home for only the second time, after 1999-2000.
Leverkusen are the second club in league history to reach the 90-point mark, following Bayern (90 points in 2013-14 and 91 points in 2012-13).
Southampton 3-1 West Brom (3-1 agg): Saints set up play-off final with Leeds United
Southampton saw off West Brom 3-1 at St Mary's on Friday to set up a Championship play-off final showdown with Leeds United.
Leeds thumped Norwich City 4-0 at Elland Road 24 hours earlier to book their place at Wembley, where Southampton now await on May 26.
The first leg between the Saints and West Brom finished goalless - just like the other semi-final - but the home side's quality told in the end.
Russell Martin's side dominated the first-half possession, with David Brooks going closest to scoring with a shot that hit the outside of the post.
Southampton made the breakthrough via a powerful Will Smallbone finish four minutes into the second half after Gray Diangana lost possession.
Darnell Furlong had a shot helped over by Alex McCarthy, while David Brooks - who assisted the opener - had a strong penalty appeal rejected.
Southampton remained in control, though, and Adam Armstrong scored a second with a shot through Furlong's legs and past Alex Palmer.
Armstrong's second goal arrived from the penalty spot in the 86th minute after Tom Fellows fouled Ryan Manning in the box, rendering Cedric Kipre's late header a mere consolation.
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