Darnell Furlong hoping to use Burton result as a springboard to success, starting against Middlesbrough

Darnell Furlong is hoping that a good result against Middlesbrough can prove that QPR are capable of competing in the top half of the Championship table.

Confidence is high at Loftus Road after back-to-back victories in the league took them nine points clear of the relegation zone, and Furlong is hoping to prove that are capable of pushing higher up the league.

Speaking to GetWestLondon about the timing of their good form, Furlong said: "It’s important as any other time of year.

"We saw with the Burton game how one result can change the perspective of the league. If we were to get a result against Middlesbrough and Bristol City, we wouldn’t just pat ourselves on the back and say ‘well done’, we’d be thinking ‘if we can get results against these teams, why can’t we be challenging at the top end of the table?’

“It would give us more confidence to push on.”

Furlong was part of the Hoops side who came close to pulling off an upset earlier this season when QPR lost 3-2 against Middlesbrough at the Riverside, and the 22-year-old says that the team's performance showed that they can compete with the promotion-chasers.

He said: "I’m expecting them to be bright. They’re technically very good footballers and good athletes, but it’s just another game.

"When we went up there we matched them for the majority and they just edged it, You could say they deserved it over the course of the 90 minutes but we weren’t far off.

"For the score to be that close and for us to be leading at the start of the game. We’ll be taking that mindset into the game and hoping to go one better with the result.

“We’re told that they’re very organised, but it’s about us. Whether they changed the manager or whether they change the players, that’s got nothing to do with us.

"We’ll always respect our opposition but when we cross that line we’re going out there to win no matter who we’re playing. We’ll just give it everything we can and see what happens."

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