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Queens Park Rangers secured their Championship survival in emphatic style, putting an underwhelming first half of the season firmly in their rear-view mirror.

The R's produced one of their standout performances of this term, comfortably beating Leeds United 4-0 at Loftus Road to dent their hopes of automatic promotion heading into the final day of the campaign.

But that upturn in fortunes has been no fluke, with the club significantly improving since the arrival of Marti Cifuentes back in October, with supporters excited at what the future may hold in W12 while the Spaniard is at the helm.

Queens Park Rangers form since Marti Cifuentes' arrival

After a sixth straight league defeat and the club dangling precariously above the bottom three, QPR made the decision to part company with Gareth Ainsworth having only been in charge at Loftus Road for eight months, winning only five of his 28 games in charge.

The R's announced the appointment of Cifuentes shortly after the former Wycombe Wanderers manager's departure, and arrived fairly unknown having perfected his craft across Scandanavia before returning to England.

Cifuentes had started the early parts of his managerial career 10 miles east with Millwall in the youth set-up, and has continued to showcase his talents this term.

His tenure started with a draw against Rotherham United, before earning another point on his maiden outing in front of his new home supporters against Bristol City.

The Spaniard would claim his first triumph over Stoke City which kickstarted a four-match unbeaten streak, but would then endure a six-game winless run. However, since the turn of the year, QPR's improvement has been evident to see.

Of the 20 games they have played in 2024, the R's have managed 32 points in that time, ranking them fifth for their annual points total this year, above the likes of Hull City, West Bromwich Albion and Coventry City.

When compared to the sides at the bottom of the table, it is quite remarkable to see an improvement in such a short space of time, and that has been down to Cifuentes getting his ideas across to the players, along with recruitment in January, that brought him so much success with Hammarby IF.

Leeds performance showed that Queens Park Rangers are a team to watch

But the R's arguably saved their most impressive performance until their final game of their campaign, demolishing Leeds 4-0 to move clear of the bottom three and secure their stay in the second tier.

Ilias Chair and Lucas Andersen gave the hosts a half-time advantage, with Lyndon Dykes and Sam Field compounding more misery on Daniel Farke's side after the break to produce a memorable night at Loftus Road.

The performance showcased a number of things, but further highlighted the quality of manager they had been able to bring into the club earlier this season, and the importance of backing him during the summer window is crucial.

During the January window, four players were signed by the R's but arrived either on loan or on free transfers, but the hierarchy at Loftus Road must believe now that with the performances and results against the very best in the division, they can go on to achieve great things next term if they financially back Cifuentes.

Another part of that is keeping their top players, with Ilias Chair and Chris Willock linked with moves away from the club, and it is imperative that those two key cogs remain at the club if QPR want to build on the momentum they have achieved at the end of this season.

In such a short space of time, Cifuentes has showcased his managerial style and the identity he wants to impose on the club moving forward, and a full pre-season to get those ideas across, along with bringing the players he wants to QPR, remains an exciting prospect for R's supporters.

The possibilities are endless should the club recruit well in the summer, and the chances of a return to the Premier League for the first time in 10 years is an achievable target if they back the man at the helm.