QPR Hold Key To Premiership Title, Champions League and Europa League Places

It may have been a season of struggle so far, but QPR nevertheless hold the key to the Premiership title, the Champions League qualifiers and the Europa League places.

An amazing sequence of games opens with a home fixture against Liverpool. That game looked highly winnable until the Reds annihilated Everton and triggered a call for a winning sequence which could yet see them charge towards a highly unlikely Champions League place. To secure that improbable goal, Liverpool can't afford to drop a single point between now and the end of the season. So, should the Hoops trip them up - and a draw would be enough - Liverpool would be out of the running at the first hurdle. Dalglish can't afford for that to happen but Liverpool will go into the game tired so Mark Hughes has to target three points from this one. Let's face it, even Avram Grant managed three home points against Liverpool at the equivalent stage of the season!

Next up is an away game at Sunderland and whilst the Black Cats are an outside bet for fifth place, they will know that sixth place may be enough to qualify for the Europa League if two Champions League qualifiers make it to the FA Cup final - or if Liverpool make it there with a Champions League qualifier. Or if two of the top five make it to the final. O'Neill would have worked all that out and would love it, really love it, if Sunderland pipped Newcastle to a place in Europe! Should QPR win or draw there, it would be a HUGE feather in Mark Hughes' cap!

Next up are Arsenal at home. And Arsenal have to win that one! Anything less and they could miss out on Champions League football next season. So Nedum and Ferdinand will have to shackle Van Persie somehow. But they're up to that, surely?

Then it's Man Utd away. Sparky would have loved that to be the last game of the season, with Ferguson having already secured the title. Maybe then an old pal's act could have been activated. But at this stage, United need every point they can get to hold their noisy neighbours at bay.

Swansea at home and West Brom away offer respite. These two games MUST yield at least 4 points. They must. End of.

Then it's Tottenham at home and Chelsea away, two games that could well decide who qualifies for the Champions League. The sacking of AVB was a disaster for Rangers as Chelsea are now buzzing again and Tottenham now know they are in a three horse race for two Champions League places. Every game is a must win game for all three Champions League aspirants and cruelly, QPR have to play all three!

Then comes Stoke. That's a gimme game compared to the rest. Three easy points. Even Grant's West Ham beat Stoke at home in the relegation run in!

Which brings us to Man City away at home. Picture the scene. Man City have to win to stand any chance of winning the title. QPR arrive desperate for a point to stay up. What a game that promises to be!

So, there's loads of Cup Finals for QPR between now and the end of the season. They are King Makers and hold the destiny of Man Utd, Man City, Spurs, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Sunderland in their hands. What a fantastic end to the season it promises to be!