Warnock relishes MU 'magic'

Warnock relishes MU 'magic'

Published Dec. 17, 2011 1:15 p.m. ET

The 63-year-old became the west Londoners' fifth manager of the 2009/10 season when he moved from Crystal Palace in March last year. Warnock has been a stabilising force at QPR after 12 different managers in a four-year spell, leading them to the npower Championship crown in his first full season in charge. The R's have impressed since promotion to the Premier League and welcome Manchester United to W12 on Sunday, which excites Warnock immensely. "We have dreamt of it since I came to the club," he said. "It has only been a dream up until now. "The younger fans have not seen anything like it and I always imagine how I used to feel walking to the ground. "They will be thinking of Rooney, Giggs and Ferdinand. "It is a fabulous feeling walking to the ground [thinking of those type of players] with your dad and grandad with you. "That is what we wanted. We wanted QPR fans to see the top players. "I just think playing Man United have that little bit of magic. "I know we've played Man City and we've played Chelsea, but I think Manchester United just has that something else. "The glitz factor really and it whets the appetite." QPR will be without key centre-back Anton Ferdinand on Sunday due to a hamstring injury picked up at Liverpool last weekend. The Hoops, though, are boosted by the return of Fitz Hall, Matthew Connolly and DJ Campbell, with Warnock promising to go for victory. "We'll have a go," he said. "There is no way we are trying to get a point with our fans when we have waited 16 years or whatever it is. "I want them going home knowing we've given everything whatever the result, but it would be nice to get something. "I saw highlights of Basel [in the Champions League] and they did attack them, which was surprising because you don't see that against Manchester United, especially at Old Trafford. "But I think teams are changing and having a go, I think that's from Blackpool. "If you go defensive you're going to get beaten anyway." QPR come into the match with just one home victory all season, albeit against high-flying rivals Chelsea. The match with Andre Villas-Boas' side has been one of several impressive performances the Rs have put in against the league's bigger sides. Warnock, though, does not believe there is a particularly different mindset heading into such games. "I don't think we have done badly in many games," he said. "Although we got a pasting at Fulham and they played well on the day, we were so naive it was untrue and we also lost heavily to Bolton. "But, other than that, I think Liverpool is probably the only other team we deserved to be beaten by and even last week we had a chance. "I think what we have got to do is worry about ourselves and take the our opportunities. "The problem with us is we don't score enough goals, but I think that is the problem with most of the teams coming up. "You have to be lucky when you play teams as well. I keep bringing up Newcastle [against whom we drew 0-0]. "I was envious of Norwich last weekend playing them with both of their centre-halves missing for the first time this season. "Injuries do disrupt you. You have to be lucky with injuries at this level with teams outside the top six."

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