Mackie admits in-form Helguson has been ‘unreal’ for Rangers in recent weeks

Jamie Mackie is backing Heidar Helguson to continue his hot scoring streak after the Iceland international’s brace against Stoke City on Saturday took his tally to five goals in six matches.

Former Watford front-man Helguson added to his goals against Blackburn, Chelsea and Manchester City earlier in the campaign with another double against Tony Pulis’s side at the Britannia Stadium, to help send QPR up to ninth in the Premier League table.

Mackie, who set up QPR’s second goal of the afternoon for Luke Young, believes the whole side have benefitted since Neil Warnock switched from the 4-2-3-1 formation he employed last season to a more attack-minded 4-4-2 system, and says they must use Saturday’s victory as a springboard for the rest of the campaign.

“Heidar has been brilliant for the team, he’s fantastic to play with and I can’t really speak highly enough of him,” Mackie told London24.com

“He has been unreal this season, he’s banging them in and I don’t see why that won’t continue. Game in game out he applies himself in the same way, he’s a great role model for the younger lads in the squad.

“As a team we’re playing with more freedom, it says so much about our squad that we can go to somewhere like Stoke and not only get the result but get the three points.

“We showed great character to come back from 1-0 down, it was a great win and we need to use that as a platform now.

“We’re working from a solid base, keeping our shape and causing teams problems. The emphasis is on the home team when you’re playing away from home in the Premier League, they probably didn’t expect us to go there and turn them over.

“We wanted to impose our own game-plan. We knew exactly what was coming, it’s not a shock to you when you go to the Britannia what’s going to hit you when you go there and we had worked on it during the week. We know that if we get the ball down and pass it then we can get something out of these games.”

Mackie also admitted he wants to start getting on the scoresheet himself in the coming weeks, despite turning in another impressive display since his return from injury.

The Scotland international has shown he is capable of playing both up front and on the right of QPR’s four-man midfield, and admitted he is determined to hold down a spot in the side.

“I love playing on the right or left of midfield providing for people, I know I need to do my share defensively, but when I get into opponents’ half I have the freedom to express myself,” he added.

“It’s a bit of a deeper role than I’ve been used to but I think I have adapted well, I want to keep setting up goals from that position and chip in with a few as well.”

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