Chris Davies reserves praise for Liam Millar after Birmingham brace against QPR
Millar produced decisive finishes in the 27th and 49th minutes to put Blues in control against the R’s.
Liam Millar received lavish praise from Chris Davies after scoring twice in Birmingham’s 3-0 victory over QPR in a crunch Sky Bet Championship clash.
Millar produced decisive finishes in the 27th and 49th minutes to put Birmingham in control against the R’s, who went into the game with the same record as Blues and were unbeaten away from home.
“He’s doing great,” said Davies. “I’ve said before I’ve tried to get him every year to the club and I finally convinced him.
“He has been super. He has got energy. He has got intelligence. He has got quality. And when you get a chance and can be clinical with it, then you’re a really good winger. It was a super performance.”
Millar is on a season loan from Hull and there is a clamour growing to try and make his move permanent at some stage.
Davies said: “With players it is hard to predict how they do whether on loan or if you sign them. Do they fit? Do they settle in? He looks like he’s made for this place. We love having him here, he seems to love being here and that’s a good combination.”
Demarai Gray got the third goal in the first minute of added-time to seal victory and consolidate fourth place for Birmingham, who have won all three fixtures since the international break without conceding.
“I really like the way the players went about it,” said Davies. “There was an intensity throughout the match. QPR had a plan to drop everything into the backline. They did it at West Ham. I’ve been very impressed watching them, actually.
“I think they’re a proper team, they’ve got pace and that was always going to be a threat on the break.
“But I thought we got into it quite quickly, we didn’t drop our level, even when we went in front.
“There’s a growth there because other games when we’ve been in the lead it’s felt like we didn’t deserve it or had that dominance. But we had that dominance and continued to push them back, we pressed, and we got the goals.”
Head coach Julien Stephan was asked if he felt the scoreline “flattered” Birmingham.
“Perhaps,” said the QPR boss. “The goals were more our fault than their quality.
“We had the first big opportunity in the opening 15-20 minutes. We score this and it changes the face of the game.
“The way we conceded the goals was very, very unusual.
“The first one was from our corner. They were 90 metres away. It was a lack of maturity in this situation.
“And then to concede immediately after half-time. I don’t want to talk about the referee’s decision, it was more from our situation.”