QPR midfielder Joey Barton believes that his club will have to repeat the history of their great escape in 2012 to have a chance of staying up this season.
The R’s currently sit second last in the league, four points from safety and their next league fixtures include away trips against West Brom and Aston Villa, following the international break.
Three years ago, the London club secured safety on the last day of the season after winning five of their last 10 matches. That final match saw them lose at Etihad Stadium with Manchester City clinching the title.
Barton, 32, claims a similar run of games is required to give QPR any chance of survival after their defeat against Everton on Sunday. He said: “If I recall that season, it was in the last six games that we dug a number of performances out. It is going to take something of the same effort. We stayed up that year on 37 points and I think that number keeps you up this year.
“I would say 34 might keep you up. You are in the ballpark and you would have a legitimate shot at staying in the league. The benchmark is usually 40 that teams look at to stay up but if you don’t get to 35 points you don’t deserve to stay up. Simple as that. That doesn’t alter for QPR.”
