Mark Hughes's debut as Queens Park Rangers manager didn't go much better than most of Neil Warnock's reign as the former Fulham boss was condemned to a 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United thanks to a first-half goal from Leon Best. It was, however, a reasonable encouraging performance from the relegation-threatened side against a team entrenched in the top half. They made it difficult for the hosts, testing Tim Krul on a number of occasions, and on another day might have snatched a draw or even taken all three points.
For Newcastle, the day came with some negatives. Best's goal - a cool far-post finish that broke a months-long goal drought for the striker - came only after star midfielder Yohan Cabaye was forced to leave the pitch via stretcher following a nasty challenge by Shaun Derry, and the overall performance was at best messy. Compared to the side that thrashed Manchester United the last time out, this was a poor display, but it was just about good enough to get the full points. Whether the rest of January will be as easy is an open question.