QPR will appeal Clint Hill's red card and ensure sure the defender’s availability for Tuesday’s televised game at Coventry.
Boss Neil Warnock confirmed the move in the hope referee Phil Crossley is ready to admit he got it wrong when he sent both Hill and Swansea’s Alan Tate barely 20 minutes into the 4-0 home win this afternoon.
Hill (pic) got involved in the aftermath of a scything tackle by Tate on Kyle Walker – but the red shown to his own man left Warnock mystified.
He said: “I still don’t understand the red card.
“I’ve watched it again six or seven times – and I’ve spoken to the referee. Clint didn’t put his hands up or anything. We shall be appealing – even though you risk being getting even more games if the appeal fails.
“The ref said to me he could have handled the situation better – and we all make mistakes. I just hope he puts his hands up in his report.
“The FA will make a decision on Thursday, and we’re appealing not just because we can get an extra game out of Clint.”
The double dismissal opened up the midfield for Adel Taarabt, and if the Moroccan needed a belated Christmas box, it was the freedom of the final third where he contributed to all four goals – scoring twice and missing a sitter when he hit the legs of the keeper five yards out.
But his boss reminded all that his talisman has yet to show what he can do on TV this season – with the Coventry match on the box.
Assistant Mick Jones wanted Warnock to have a word with Taarabt at half-time in a bid to cancel the trickery and endless dribbling. It was the second time this afternoon QPR’s boss was left scratching his head.
Warnock said: “Mick said to me ‘you’ve got to tell Taarabt to play a bit more simple’. I said: ‘Mick, how long have you been here?’
“There are other days when Adel’s not been so good – like when we’re on bloody TV – as we are against Coventry.”
