![\"Tommy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS390304195.jpg\")
Jimmy Dunne of Queens Park Rangers holds off Marvin Ducksch of Birmingham City<\/p>\nAlex Dicken rates the Birmingham City players after their 2-1 defeat to Queens Park Rangers at Loftus RoadJimmy Dunne of Queens Park Rangers holds off Marvin Ducksch of Birmingham City<\/p>\n
A 96th minute strike from Queens Park Rangers substitute Kieran Morgan inflicted another defeat on Birmingham City away from home.<\/p>\n
Blues were heading for a point after Patrick Roberts cancelled out Jimmy Dunne\u2019s header in the third minute of stoppage time but QPR had the last laugh.<\/p>\n
After three away games in which they conceded inside 17 minutes, the brief for Blues was to keep things tight in the opening exchanges at Loftus Road.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t until the half-hour mark that QPR seriously threatened James Beadle\u2019s goal. Paul Smyth got on the end of Koki Saito\u2019s header back across goal but he could only nod the ball into Beadle\u2019s hands.<\/p>\n
In-form Hoops striker Rumarn Burrell would have worked Beadle had the returning Jack Robinson \u2013 deputising for the injured Alex Cochrane at left-back \u2013 not thrown himself in the way of a powerful shot.<\/p>\n
Blues have developed the bad habit of conceding first away from home and they rarely keep their clean sheet until half-time.<\/p>\n
QPR became the 10th team in 11 Championship away games to take the lead against Blues when Dunne headed Koki Saito\u2019s wicked cross past Beadle in the 40th minute.<\/p>\n
![\"Jimmy](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS390304343.jpg\")
Jimmy Dunne of QPR scores against Birmingham City<\/p>\n
A double substitution at half-time showed everyone inside Loftus Road exactly what he thought of his team\u2019s first half performance. Tommy Doyle and Kyogo Furuhashi replaced Bright Osayi-Samuel and Marvin Ducksch.<\/p>\n
The changes made very little difference to the flow of the game and QPR pushed forward for second.<\/p>\n
Blues dallied on the ball at the back and Doyle played it straight to Smyth who crossed to the far post for Richard Kone to nudge wide from close range. Kone should have put the game beyond Blues.<\/p>\n
Davies introduced Eiran Cashin, Lyndon Dykes and Keshi Anderson to try and turn the game around but Blues didn\u2019t turn up until stoppage time.<\/p>\n
Roberts arrived at the far post to slot in Demarai Gray\u2019s centre to set up a draw Blues scarcely deserved.<\/p>\n
QPR weren\u2019t deflated by Roberts\u2019 equaliser and pushed forward in search of a winner.<\/p>\n
There didn\u2019t appear to be much danger when Morgan picked the ball up on the right of the penalty area but his low shot was too powerful for Beadle and nestled in the corner.<\/p>\n
A seventh defeat in 11 away from St Andrew\u2019s doesn\u2019t make for good reading for Blues. They have now put enormous pressure on their home fixtures in the festive period.<\/p>\n
Get the latest Blues headlines sent straight to your phone<\/p>\n
BirminghamLive has its very own Birmingham City<\/a> WhatsApp community to deliver the latest headlines straight to your phone. Just click this link<\/a> to receive daily Blues content and breaking news. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don\u2019t like our community, you can check out any time you like. Click on the name at the top of your screen while in WhatsApp and click ‘Exit Group’. Read our Privacy Notice.<\/a><\/p>\n James Beadle 5<\/p>\n Beadle showed nerves when coming to collect some crosses and dropped one in the first half. The goalkeeper must look at himself for Morgan’s winner. He wasn\u2019t his usual, composed self in possession either.<\/p>\n Bright Osayi-Samuel 5<\/p>\n The right-back was awarded a rare start against his former club but he was hooked at half-time so draw your own conclusions. Osayi-Samuel just hasn\u2019t got to grips with the demands Davies places upon his right-back.<\/p>\n Phil Neumann 5<\/p>\n Some of Neumann\u2019s distribution left a lot to be desired. The centre-back almost stumbled into one pass to carelessly give away possession when Blues were in a useful position in the second half. Neumann was beaten by Dunne for the goal too.<\/p>\n Christoph Klarer 6<\/p>\n Even Blues\u2019 imperious captain looked flustered on a night where very little went right for Blues. Klarer won his fair share of headers but, unfortunately, Saito\u2019s cross for Dunne\u2019s header took him out of the game.<\/p>\n Jack Robinson 5.5<\/p>\n Robinson\u2019s inclusion at left-back wasn\u2019t ideal but the 32-year-old didn\u2019t do much wrong defensively. He didn\u2019t stop many crosses, it must be said, and he did miss a great chance to play Gray in at the start of the second half.<\/p>\n Tomoki Iwata 5<\/p>\n Iwata played in three different positions and you couldn\u2019t fault his work ethic, but his form has tailed off in recent matches and you wonder whether he might need a rest. Davies can\u2019t give him one so Iwata will have to play his way back into form.<\/p>\n Paik Seung-ho 5<\/p>\n Paik was again too passive away from home, refusing to drive with the ball through the thirds, and QPR crept in behind him too many times.<\/p>\n Patrick Roberts 6<\/p>\n Roberts had good moments on the right and delivered a couple of dangerous crosses before notching the equaliser.<\/p>\n Jay Stansfield 5<\/p>\n Stansfield isn\u2019t immune from criticism and didn\u2019t force his way into the game. The forward needs to improve on his solitary goal contribution \u2013 a penalty at Blackburn \u2013 away from home.<\/p>\n Demarai Gray 6<\/p>\n Once more Gray looked as dangerous as anyone wearing Royal Blue. The winger fired across a dangerous cross in the first half that Ducksch didn\u2019t gamble on. Roberts did in stoppage time and scored.<\/p>\n Marvin Ducksch 4<\/p>\n Ducksch didn\u2019t last more than 45 minutes of his latest ineffective outing away from home. When Blues aren\u2019t at their free-flowing best, supporters want to see a striker challenging for aerial balls and putting himself about, but Ducksch didn’t make QPR\u2019s defenders sweat.<\/p>\n SUBS<\/p>\n Tommy Doyle (for Osayi-Samuel, 46) 6<\/p>\n Doyle played one terrible pass that should have seen Blues punished by Kone but he tried things and almost scored a corner in stoppage time.<\/p>\n Kyogo Furuhashi (for Ducksch, 46) 6<\/p>\n Kyogo didn\u2019t offer much of a threat but he put himself about and pressed better than Ducksch did.<\/p>\n Eiran Cashin (for Robinson, 68) 6<\/p>\n Cashin is a last resort at left-back but he didn\u2019t look overly uncomfortable there.<\/p>\n Lyndon Dykes (for Stansfield, 68) 6<\/p>\n Dykes gave Blues a physical presence in the closing stages and put QPR\u2019s defenders under pressure.<\/p>\n Keshi Anderson (for Neumann, 82) N\/A<\/p>\n Not used: Allsop, Sampsted, Leonard, Koumas<\/p>\n Attendance: 14,947 (1,760)<\/p>\n![\"Koki](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/0_JS390302024.jpg\")
Koki Saito of Queens Park Rangers battles for possession with Phil Neumann of Birmingham City<\/p>\n