Hughes hopes to inspire Adel

Adel Taarabt: Has been challenged by his boss Mark Hughes to 'harness' his talents to help guide the club to safety

QPR manager Mark Hughes has challenged Adel Taarabt to 'harness' his talent and help inspire the Hoops to safety.

The Morocco international scored his first Premier League goal for the club in the 2-1 win over Arsenal at Loftus Road on Saturday.

Prior to that the 22-year-old, who won the Football League Player of the Year award last season, had struggled to cope with the step up in class to England's top flight.

He also endured a difficult relationship with previous boss Neil Warnock and was linked with big-money moves away from the club both last summer and during the January transfer window.

With Hughes replacing Warnock in January, Taarabt appears more settled and looks to be working his way back to form.

Hughes was full of praise for the playmaker's abilities but has warned him he needs to channel those skills correctly and consistently if he is to become a Premier League star.

Free spirit

"Adel has been a free spirit in the past, just played off the cuff, which is fine and you can affect games at a lower level, but at Premier League level you have to have discipline to your play, understand the game and be involved totally from the first minute to the last minute," Hughes said.

"You cannot just flit in and flit out. He really understood he needed to do the defensive work well and the goal was really well taken.

"Adel is an undoubted talent, he just needs to harness it. If he listens to what myself and the coaches tell him, then he will be a top Premier League player.

"He just has to understand how he can use his ability to the best and he is learning very quickly."

Saturday's victory over the Gunners made it two wins from two at Loftus Road following their dramatic come-from-behind win over Liverpool a fortnight ago and those results have given the club real hope of staying in the top flight.

However, an imposing fixture list, that includes games against Chelsea, Tottenham and Manchester City as well as this weekend's trip to Old Trafford, means the Londoners face a tough task if they are to claw themselves out of trouble.

Defiant

Hughes, though, is defiant about his side's chances and believes recent good results bode well for the rest of the campaign.

"Our home form has been excellent of late, so if we can win all of our remaining home games and pick up something on our travels, then I feel we will have enough," added the former Blackburn and Fulham boss.

"We are probably ahead of what we felt we would have got from the last 10 games in terms of points because of the quality of opposition we have gone up against.

"If we can make sure that we can acquire wins in the games we highlighted to get three points on the board, then these results we have just had will really help us.

"We know we are in a difficult situation, but the fans are totally behind the players and what they are giving them now. If we can ride that wave, then we will be fine."