QPR striker Jamie Mackie has admitted that the Canaries are a “very, very good side”, as the two Championship high-flyers prepare to face each other at Loftus Road this weekend.
To be fair to Rangers, their start has been even more impressive than City’s, with eight wins and two draws from their opening 10 games meaning that top spot is theirs.
But Scotland international Mackie is well aware that Paul Lambert’s third-placed team are at the peak of their powers. It is certainly the division’s standout fixture this weekend.
“This is a massive game for us,” he told the Hoops’ official website. “They’re a very, very good side, but we are too.
“We always concentrate on what we can do and if we produce the quality we know we’re capable of, we’ll be just fine.
“We all want to get three points and we’re more than capable of doing that, but Norwich have made a solid start to the season and we’ll have to be at our best.”
The former Plymouth man has been a revelation this season, netting eight times already. And his outstanding form in the English second tier has been rewarded with a call-up to Craig Levein’s Scotland squad.
He started the recent 1-0 defeat to the Czech Republic and was on the bench on Tuesday, when a brave Scottish display almost earned them a point against World Cup winners Spain.
But as much as Mackie enjoyed his taste of international football, he’s looking forward to getting back to the bread and butter this weekend when the Canaries come to town.
“Playing for Scotland was a massive moment in my career, but I love playing for QPR week in, week out,” continued the Surrey-born striker.
“I had a taste of the top level last week and my sole aim now is to get QPR back to the Premier League this season.”
You would think that Rangers boss Neil Warnock, who knows this division like the back of his hand, will get the West London outfit pretty close to that top two come May.
And the wily old campaigner is obviously delighted with the start QPR have made, even if he did hint that their position is a tad “flattering” in today’s Evening News.
“We’re really enjoying it at the minute,” Warnock told www.qpr.co.uk. “I’ve never seen [Shaun] Derry and [Clint] Hill play better. I’m really proud of the lads like that.
“I can’t speak highly enough of them. It’s just a fantastic start.”
Don’t go too far away tomorrow as we’ll have all the latest news and views from Paul Lambert’s pre-match Colney press conference here on MFW.
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