QPR: GARRY MONK'S REACTION

QPR: GARRY MONK\'S REACTION

The head coach reflects on Sunday's defeat at Loftus Road...

Garry Monk believes his young side will learn from Sunday’s 3-0 defeat away to Queens Park Rangers and insists the opening weekend result will not define United’s season.

Nedum Onuoha got the hosts off the mark after just four minutes following a goalmouth scramble during the early exchanges of a first half which Monk admitted was way under par.

United showed signs of improvement after the break but Rangers were able to double their advantage from the penalty spot through Tjaronn Chery, before Sebastian Polter added a third to wrap things up in stoppage time after substitute Marcus Antonsson had come agonisingly close to pulling one back for the visitors at the opposite end.

“It wasn’t the result that we wanted to start the season – you want to get off with a good result from the first game,” said Monk.

“The first 45 minutes were key to it – we didn’t play with the precision or the intensity that we expect.

“That left us on the back foot and we conceded a strange goal to go behind. Berardi then had the injury and had to go off early on, which leaves you limited for things later in the game.

“In the second half we were better without being at our best. We had a bit more of a reaction but you can’t make those individual mistakes and concede the goals that we did.

“Football is also one of those things where, had Marcus taken that chance, we would probably have been fighting for the result at the end of the game.

“We have a lot to improve on – it’s a young group, I’ve said that all along. They’ll improve and learn a lot from today. It’s my job to help them.

“It’s one game and we’ll make sure that we get a reaction in the next game. It’s a long season and there’ll be many ups and downs.

“It’s not the start we wanted but we’ll get a reaction in our next game. It’s not going to define our season.”

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