Harry Redknapp was left to rue defensive blunders and Matt Phillips' costly first-half miss as QPR fell to a 4-0 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday.
With QPR 1-0 down to an Angel Di Maria free-kick, Phillips saw a weak effort blocked by Jonny Evans as United goalkeeper David De Gea failed to clear the ball after racing out of goal -- and Rangers were duly punished at Old Trafford as Ander Herrera scored the hosts' second just four minutes later.
With Wayne Rooney adding a third to put United 3-0 up by the interval, Redknapp believes the visitors' first-half errors cost them any chance of shocking Louis van Gaal's new-look side.
"We had a great chance at 1-0 to score, Matt Phillips could have scored and I thought 'well we get in at 1-0,'" he said. "But suddenly I thought we conceded two poor goals before half-time and then you're 3-0 down.
"I don't think our keeper [Rob Green] had really had too many shots to save; they'd had a lot of the ball, but I don't think he's hardly made a save first half.''
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The Rangers' boss was pleased with his side's improvement in the second half, and believes their disciplined showing prevented a potential second-half rout as United introduced the likes of Radamel Falcao and Adnan Januzaj from the bench.
"Obviously at 3-0 down we weren't silly enough to think we can come out, open up and win 4-3, but you don't want to get beat by six or seven because it's demoralising to do that," he added.
"We could have got a goal back at 3-0 when Niko [Kranjcar] had a great shot the 'keeper [De Gea] saved with his legs, which could have changed attitudes, but it's a difficult place to come.''
The defeat leaves QPR 16th in the Premier League table, while United have jumped up to ninth place.