Second-half goals from Emmanuel Latte Lath and Marcus Forss gave Middlesbrough a 2-0 victory at Loftus Road and ended QPR’s recent resurgence.

Latte Lath broke the deadlock on 64 minutes as Rangers were unable to clear a free-kick and Matt Clarke nudged the ball towards the Ivorian striker, who sent a right-footed volley past goalkeeper 12 Asmir Begovic and into the corner of the net.

Forss then doubled the lead 12 minutes later following a counter-attack after Rangers’ Chris Willock appeared to have been fouled near the edge of the Boro penalty area.

Jonny Howson played the ball to the right to Luke Ayling, who crossed for Forss to head home at the far post.

The defeat means QPR, who were unbeaten in their previous four matches, sit just one point above the relegation zone.

They were on the front foot for most of the first half and went close to scoring an early goal when Steve Cook’s header from Lucas Andersen’s right-wing corner struck Howson and went over.

The in-form Sam Field headed over from another Andersen corner and Ilias Chair fired wide as the hosts continued the threaten.

Boro goalkeeper Seny Dieng, playing against his former club, then pushed away a strike from Willock after some neat build-up play by Rangers.

Dieng was also able to keep out an audacious attempt by Chair to catch him off his line.

At the other end, Riley McGree blasted a shot wide of the target, but Boro offered very little before the interval.

They were better after the restart – prompting QPR boss Marti Cifuentes to make a triple substitution 10 minutes into the second half, sending on forwards Lyndon Dykes and Paul Smyth along with on-loan Newcastle midfielder Issac Hayden.

Playmaker Chair was one of those to make way and the home side struggled to create clear-cut chances after his withdrawal.

The changes initially had some effect, with Rangers showing more urgency and Dieng surviving another attempt to embarrass him – this time when Jimmy Dunne’s lob from the right-hand side landed on the top of the net.

But it was Michael Carrick’s Boro who seized the initiative and Rangers, who had started so brightly, faded badly and never looked like recovering after going behind.

Goalkeepers John Ruddy and Asmir Begovic were the stars as Birmingham and QPR battled to a 0-0 Championship draw at St Andrew’s.

Begovic, the former Chelsea, Bournemouth and Stoke goalkeeper, and ex-Wolves keeper Ruddy, both 36, produced a string of saves as the hosts missed the chance to climb into the top six overnight.

QPR created the first chance when Ilias Chair crossed from the left and Sinclair Armstrong looped a header over the bar.

Only a desperate, acrobatic goal-line clearance from QPR midfielder Sam Field prevented Blues taking a 21st-minute lead.

Lee Buchanan’s fierce cross flicked off centre-back Steve Cook and looped over Begovic, but Field hooked the ball away, replays showing it was half over the line.

For all Birmingham’s attacking intent, QPR forced the first save of the game when Paul Smyth cut in on his left foot and his shot from just inside the box was pushed away by Ruddy.

Blues responded soon after when right-back Cody Drameh’s cross-shot was shovelled away at the near post by Begovic.

The home side continued to push for the opening goal and had three efforts blocked in the box, Jay Stansfield trying his luck with a header and then a shot either side of an effort from Miyoshi.

They then went close to taking the lead within two minutes of the restart.

This time Krystian Bielik produced a snapshot that was kept out by a stunning one-handed save by Begovic at full stretch.

Rangers went just as close to breaking the deadlock from the next move.

Chair gave himself room to cross on the run after a one-two split the defence and he pulled the ball back to Field, whose side-footed effort was palmed away by Ruddy and hit Armstrong before bouncing just wide.

Scott Hogan then missed a golden chance. The Birmingham striker had only Begovic to beat after Miyoshi put him through but sidefooted too close to the keeper.

Stansfield forced another save from Begovic when he cut inside and fired goalward from just inside the box.

But Ruddy produced arguably the save of the match when he tipped away Lyndon Dykes’ downward header from Albert Adomah’s cross as both sides had to settle for a point.

Former Everton goalkeeper Asmir Begovic believes the “inconsistency” of people running the club has made life difficult for players and staff.

The ex-Bosnia and Herzegovina international’s contract officially ends next week but his departure from Goodison Park has already been confirmed, ending a two-year stay during which time the Toffees have twice only narrowly escaped relegation.

Everton are also facing a Premier League charge for breaching profit and sustainability rules – having made cumulative losses of more than £430million over the last four seasons – and, in the wake of numerous supporters’ protests, the chief executive Denise Barrett-Baxendale, chief finance officer Grant Ingles and non-executive director and former striker Graeme Sharp left their roles last week.

The future of long-serving chairman Bill Kenwright, the main target for fans’ anger, was due to be announced in the following 48 hours but 10 days on he remains in post.

The PA news agency understands Kenwright, who has spent 19 years in his current role, was planning to step down last week but the intervention of owner Farhad Moshiri has complicated matters and left senior figures at the club in the dark about the next move.

“We obviously had some financial issues and a lot of inconsistency (with) people running the place so that makes it very difficult for the staff and the players,” Begovic, speaking to talkSPORT, said of his experience at the club.

“Certainly difficult. When I go back two years, people say: ‘Why in the world Everton?’

“It’s easy to say now but at the time, you were looking at a fantastic football club with a fantastic group of players.

“When you get in there, you realise there are bigger issues.”

American investors MSP Capital are close to agreeing a deal to buy a stake in the club, possibly up to 25 per cent, and those negotiations could also explain why a new board members have not been installed as they are believed to want two representatives at executive level.

Everton’s players are due to return to pre-season training on July 6, just over a week before their first friendly against Stade Nyonais, in Switzerland but full-back Nathan Patterson has already spent a few weeks at the club’s Finch Farm training ground working on his recovery from a hamstring injury which ended his campaign prematurely.

Manchester United are under pressure to make some signings amid their poor start to the new Premier League season.

The Red Devils have lost their opening two league games under new boss Erik ten Hag.

United have only brought in a few players this off-season and are in need for reinforcements.

TOP STORY – MAN UTD DECLINED BY ATLETICO IN JOAO FELIX BID

Atletico Madrid have rejected a bumper £110million (€130m) bid from Manchester United for Portuguese forward Joao Felix, claims AS.

Atleti have reportedly inserted a staggering €350m (£295m) release clause in the 22-year-old's contract.

United's reported bid is a club record, £25m more than the fee they paid Juventus for Paul Pogba in 2016.

ROUND-UP

– United want to sign five more players this transfer window reports the Telegraph and have a shortlist of potential signings with Borussia Dortmund's Thomas Meunier, Chelsea winger Christian Pulisic, Real Madrid midfielder Casemiro, Lazio's Sergej Milinkovic-Savic and Barcelona's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Everton goalkeeper Asmir Begovic is also on their radar to provide a back-up to David de Gea.

– Paris Saint-Germain have not given up in a pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva and are plotting a €71m (£59m) move for him, according to The Times.

– Napoli are closing in on a deal to sign Sassuolo's 22-year-old forward Giacomo Raspadori reports Calciomercato. It is claimed he will join Napoli by the end of the week.

– Nottingham Forest's busy window continues with the newly promoted Premier League club chasing Madrid right-back Alvaro Odriozola, according to AS.

– Brighton and Hove Albion want a permanent move for Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour, reports the Daily Mail.