Neil Warnock was delighted by the start his new look team made against Newcastle on Monday night, while new owner Tony Fernandes continues to talk up the club’s chances of signing David Beckham.

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Warnock was clearly pleased by the performance of his new look team in front of the Sky cameras, and QPR were desperately unlucky not to take all three points from the game.

The manager told the club's official website: "This is a game that we should have won. We created a lot of chances, and I love a game of football like that. There were crosses and shots, and oo's and ahh's, it was a great atmosphere out there and we looked like we enjoyed it. And that's what I want us to do - enjoy it.

"It is difficult to bring in five or six new players and get them all working together in the space of ten days, but we managed to do that with hard work on the training ground. The support that we have been given by Tony Fernandes and Amit Bhatia has given everyone a lift. And you could see that tonight. It was exciting. Yeah, we didn't win the game but it was great to watch. I am looking forward to the Wolves game on Saturday - I am looking forward to every game. Even the big boys. They won't fancy coming down here. It augers well."

Warnock sprung something of a surprise prior to kick off by naming new signing Joey Barton as the captain against his former club. Whether it was the decision to strip him of the armband or a self imposed week in exile at a French fitness centre during the international break the decision seemed to spur Adel Taarabt onto new heights as he looked every inch a Premiership player.

Warnock told the Standard: "It was just a logical thing really. I had a chat with Adel last week. Adel was straight away right about it. He appreciates how far we have come now and that we need to drive on now. We need somebody as our leader. He (Barton) epitomised what we are about. It was difficult for him and I thought he handled himself well. He just grabbed hold of us. We will have our moments where things won't go so well, but you have to have that in any healthy relationship."

Barton himself told The Guardian: " It is always a little bit weird, especially in the circumstances that I left but that is football – ships in the night. Onwards and upwards and I am really enjoying being here. It is a great dressing room and a great bunch of lads. I think that shone through on the pitch today."

But it was Shaun Wright Phillips who really caught the eye on a night when he could easily have had a couple of goals and assists to his name. Warnock said: "I know I'm biased but I think he can get a lot better than that personally. I said before the game he could get into double figures in terms of goals this year. Shaun has seen a lot of players come and go at his previous clubs and some don't have as much ability as him, but it's about opportunities. He is a player who people will want to watch."

DJ Campbell returned to action for the final 15 minutes after being laid low with a mystery virus over the past few weeks. He told the Fulham Chronicle afterwards: "I’m getting back to full training and I should be back up to speed over the next week. We were unlucky not get all three points against Newcastle . But this QPR squad has Premiership players that have been there and done it. When I was at Blackpool , I was the only one who had been in the Prem before. We’re talking two different teams, and nothing should be taken away from Blackpool and what they achieved – and I’m not sure that could happen again. But this time his time around with Tony having spent money, the quality is better.”

Rangers seemed to come out of the game relatively unscathed injury wise, with full back Armand Traore leaving the field with cramp and nothing more serious. Warnock said afterwards: "I thought it was something serious. He's been going out with Taarabt too much. I said to him he is fitter than him because he doesn't get cramp."

The result stretched Newcastle 's unbeaten run to five matches, but the Magpies were reduced to timewasting tactics in the second half as they hung on for a draw against their newly promoted opponents. Manager Alan Pardew was honest enough to admit that a point was as much as they deserved from a lacklustre showing when he spoke to the Newcastle official website after the game.

Pardew said: "We didn't play well tonight. We lost the central midfield area, which is unusual for us, but we just had two in there and they had three. Defensively though we were good. Our full-backs and central pair were brilliant tonight. They had to do a lot of work tonight - too much work - but they still did it very well. We need more than that if I'm honest, but we'll take the point because it was a tough game on a small pitch."

Monday proved to be another hugely busy day at Loftus Road with the belated announcement of a shirt sponsorship deal for this season made in the morning. Tony Fernandes' connections clearly played a part in Malaysia Airlines' decision to sponsor the new home shirt, and his own Air Asia airline has picked up the tab for the two away kits. The newly sponsored home shirts got an airing last night, as did mascot Jude the Cat who made a welcome return to Loftus Road after being banished by previous owner Flavio Briatore.

Prior to the game new owner Tony Fernandes committed himself to scores of radio, television and newspaper interviews during which he again floated the idea of bringing in England legend David Beckham for the second half of the season when his contract at LA Galaxy expires in November. Fernandes said: "It will be a massive statement of intent for us if we bring Beckham back in January. We have been led to believe he would like to be at a bigger club but it's for us to persuade him that we have bigger ambitions and he can be part of that. Whether that fits in with Neil Warnock and the squad, who knows. Ultimately, the manager has to decide. I can give him the vision that I've got the balls to do it. It may fail but nothing ventured, nothing gained. Environment, love, care and attention — we can offer that to Beckham. And Beckham's advisors want to talk because our vision is a long-term one, with lots of things David can do in Asia with me."

LA Galaxy have today intimidated that they intend to offer Beckham a one year deal extension to stay in the US , and Spurs are also loitering should he become available in January. Given that he spent last winter training with Tottenham it would seem that QPR's chances on this are remote.

But in other areas Fernandes' ambitions remain more realistic. He told the Guardian prior to Monday's match: "The main thing is to avoid relegation this year. It's not about who we bought that's going to ensure the future success, its about what we build now: the academy, the training ground, the infrastructure. The future of Harlington and our stadium are all up in the air. But we're in a fantastic area and don't want to move out. The message is: I don't know where we'll take this club but we'll give it our best shot."

With the loan window about to swing back open for lower division clubs QPR will no doubt be keen to shift a number of high earning players who didn't make the 25 man Premiership squad off the wage bill. Hogan Ephraim has already stated his intention to move out on loan but Patrick Agyemang, another late cut from the squad, may be around for a while yet after Bristol City rubbished reports linking them with the striker. Agyemang spent an unhappy and unsuccessful spell on loan at Ashton Gate two seasons ago, playing seven times without scoring. City boss Keith Millen said: "There's absolutely nothing in it. We've not even made an enquiry."

Loan Watch

Rowan Vine’s time at Exeter City is developing into a familiar pattern. Again he started on Saturday, again he last less than an hour, and again he failed to score. The Grecians lost 2-0 at Charlton this weekend. Tonight in a 1-1 draw against a Notts County side that also included Gavin Mahon, he came on for the final 20 minutes and failed to score. A small line in The People on Sunday says that Vine is taking legal action against QPR over the injury that has decimated his career – Vine broke his leg in a training ground collision with reserve goalkeeper Matt Pickens two years ago and has never come close to recapturing his previous form.

Not good news for Max Ehmer either who was part of a Yeovil team that underwent a long trip up to Preston on Friday night only to suffer a 4-3 defeat. Another long trek, in League Two this time, saw Michael Doughty go all the way to Morecambe from Crawley only to suffer a 6-0 defeat. Doughty played the final half an hour, and then started for the first time tonight but couldn’t prevent a 3-0 home defeat to Swindon. Ehmer on the other hand kept a clean sheet on Tuesday as Yeovil beat Wycombe (Gary Waddock, Scott Donnelly, Nikki Bull and all) 1-0.

Angelo Balanta scored for MK Dons after coming on as a first half sub at Sheff Wed – the Dons still slipped to a 3-1 defeat at Hillsborough though.

Crystal Palace’s impressive start to the season came off the rails slightly at Leeds on Saturday when they threw away a 2-1 lead and lost 3-2. Peter Ramage played a full 90 minutes in the defence.

Premiership Shorts

- It was a weekend of questionable tackles resulting in nasty injuries in the Premiership. Man Utd will be without Tom Cleverley for a month after he suffered ligament damage at Bolton on Saturday under a typically robust challenge from Kevin Davies. Norwich’s James Vaughan will require plastic surgery on a split lip suffered when West Brom’s Gabriel Tamas elbowed him in the face in the penalty area on Sunday – no penalty was awarded by referee Mark Halsey but Tamas has since admitted a charge of violent conduct. Then later on Sunday Blackburn’s Junior Hoilett required stitches in a facial wound and suffered concussion after being cleaned out by Fulham’s Mark Schwarzer who was the last man at the time but still not sent off.

- Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish was also unhappy with referee Mark Clattenburg after his side’s 1-0 defeat at Stoke on Saturday. The winning goal came from the penalty spot after Jamie Carragher was adjudged to have wrestled Jon Walters to the ground. Clattenburg was a controversial appointment for the game – since making a pig’s ear of a Merseyside derby in 2007 he has only refereed Liverpool once.

- Henri Lansbury, linked with a move to QPR during the transfer window but currently on loan at West Ham, has signed a new contract at Arsenal.

- Everton's Tim Cahill has backed the club's decision to sell his long term midfield partner Mikel Arteta to Arsenal. Cahill said: " The whole scenario was right for everyone. Mikel might go on to play for his national team, he'll play in the Champions League and he raised a hell of a lot of money for Everton." A summer exodus from Goodison Park and lack of additions has left the Toffees fielding youth players in the Premiership. Manager David Moyes said: "The problem is if you are trying them out in the Premier League it's a risk and at the moment I'm risking them. Ideally you would go and get them Championship experience so they know what the speed is like and the game is like and what they have to do."

- Spurs have left star man Rafael van der Vaat out of their Europa League squad. The Dutchman is currently sidelined with a hamstring injury and manager Harry Redknapp has described the competition as "a nuisance" but van der Vaat told his own official website he was "annoyed" and said: "Spurs could at least have consulted me." Tweet @loftforwords

Photo: Action Images

NorwayRanger16 added 20:57 - Sep 14 Clive, can you help me bring some clarity around the whole pitch size question? As far as i can see when i search around for pitch dimensions Loftus Road is aprox the same size as St James' Park and Anfield. Alan Pardew:"..but we'll take the point because it was a tough game on a small pitch." Pitch dimensions: Loftus Road 112 x 72 yards St James' Park 110 × 73 yards It's the stadium that is smaller, not the pitch. Just thought i should kill an old myth. But i understand that the perception can be that the Loftus Road pitch is smaller. Do we have a small pitch or is this only a myth?

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johann28 added 00:11 - Sep 16 Basically a myth - it's a tad narrower than many but just as long / longer than most. Anfield is 110 X 74, White Hart Lane 110 X 73, Rebok 110 X 72, to take a few examples
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