Tottenham Hotspur suffered another disappointing defeat at Loftus Road as Adel Taarabt bagged the only goal of the game for QPR.

Taarabt's first-half free kick was enough to edge QPR three points away from the relegation zone.

Spurs, beaten by Chelsea in an FA Cup semi-final last week, were left frustrated as they couldn't score even after Taarabt was sent off for a second yellow card in the closing stages.

Mark Hughes encouraged by QPR's home form thinks his team can avoid the drop. "I just think when we come here there is a determination and I think away from home we've been possibly guilty of being a little bit passive on our travels and not being able to create the intensity we have here.

"It will go to the last game. We have got three games left - three very difficult games. We must try in the last two away games, we have to address our away form."

Harry Redknapp felt Tottenham should have taken some sort of dividend back across London.

"We had enough of the ball and enough chances - I don't think Brad Friedel has had a save to make in all honesty, we just couldn't score. We just couldn't get the break, we just needed a bit of luck in front of goal."

Newcastle United cruised to a convincing 3-0 success over Stoke City to maintain their push for Champions League qualification.

A brace from Yohan Cabaye and another Papiss Cisse goal ensured the Toon Army recorded a vital victory.

"The Champions League is really a possibility. We're not going to hide from that or make some stupid cliches about we're not going to do it.

"We're right in there and we go to Wigan, that's going to be a tough game. We will see where we are then.

"I know a result like this today will pipe through to the Tottenham dressing room and put pressure on them. There's no pressure on us - we're just bobbling along.

"Our quality really shone through - some great goals and great interplay. There's a lot of confidence in the dressing room, we've got a really nice feeling in there and you can see that on the pitch."

Tony Pulis lamented Republic of Ireland international Jon Walters' failure to convert opportunities.
"We had a lot of chances. Jon Walters, who I think the world of, could have come out of the game scoring a hat-trick.

"But the difference in both boxes was they hit the target and we never. From being very much in the game we were 2-0 behind after two very poor goals.

"At the start of the second half we thought if we could get that goal it would have been game on. But the third goal was very poor again and that gave them the momentum to go on.

"You've got to give our players credit - they kept going and kept going. I don't think it was that bad a performance."

Mauro Formica and Junior Holiett netted as Blackburn Rovers eked out an important win over Norwich City at Ewood Park.

Blackburn boss Steve Kean was thrilled. "It was about the quality of Morten Gamst Pedersen and Mauro Formica which paid off. There were six or seven candidates for man of the match with Gael Givet and Scott Dann being fantastic.

"Performances like this with commitment and application, there is no reason why we can't get a result at any ground."

Scott Sinclair and Chris Eagles traded goals as Swansea City drew with Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok.

Phillipe Senderos got a rare goal scoring the winner as Fulham defeated Wigan Athletic 2-1 at Craven Cottage.

Emerson Boyce put the Latics ahead before Pavel Pogrebnyak levelled for Fulham, who hit the front a minute from time when Senderos pounced.

Martin O'Neill got a hostile reception from sections of the Villa Park crowd during Sunderland's goal less draw with Aston Villa.

"I think it's a very natural reaction considering I've been gone two years and they've never known my reasons for leaving. I was expecting it and I got it.

"I apologise maybe for leaving five days before the start of the season. The timing was not great but I think the team I left behind was infinitely better than the team I started with," was O'Neill's verdict.