QPR boss Marti Cifuentes bemoaned his team’s “unacceptable” defending from set-pieces, ahead of this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Cherries.

Struggling Rangers have consistently conceded from set-pieces this season and did so twice more as they began 2024 with a 2-1 home defeat to Cardiff City.

Paul Smyth equalised for the hosts to cancel out Dimitrios Goutas’ opener, but Rangers’ defensive shortcomings were badly exposed again as Perry Ng scored the winner.

Cifuentes, who took over at the end of October, said: “We knew that they were a good team from set-pieces and then they score from that situation.

“We got good momentum in the second half and scored a goal. Then we lost this momentum. We conceded another goal from a set-piece, which is unacceptable.

“I’ve been in charge for 12 games and we’ve conceded 11 goals, which is quite a decent defensive performance. But seven of them have been from set-pieces, which is unacceptable.

“That area of the game should be an asset, not a liability, and we are getting extremely punished.

“If we concede two goals from set-pieces then we cannot expect to win matches.”

Rangers are second from bottom of the Championship, have gone six matches without a win.