Vitor Matos demands Swansea learn from heaviest defeat of reign as QPR thrash Swans 5-0
Matos takes responsibility after Loftus Road humbling
Vitor Matos says Swansea City must "listen to this performance" after the Swans slumped to the heaviest defeat of his reign at Queens Park Rangers. Richard Kone scored a hat-trick inside the first 15 minutes to help Rangers claim a remarkable 5-0 victory over Matos' high-flying Swansea side.
The Swans remain in the Championship's automatic promotion places despite their dismal afternoon at Loftus Road. Head coach Matos said he takes responsibility for the thrashing, but insisted everyone at the club must learn from the painful defeat.
"It's up to us to improve and it's up to us to go back to our standards, to bounce back from the situation we are in at the moment," Matos told BBC Sport Wales.
"We were not perfect when we were winning. The performance does not erase what we have done, but we need to listen to this game, we need to listen to this performance and understand what we need to do much better."
Swansea's resilience nowhere to be seen
Swansea had lost only two of their 11 league games this season before taking on a Rangers side who had won only one of their previous seven matches. However, the Swans' familiar resilience was absent as Kone's treble and two set-piece goals from centre-back Jimmy Dunne gave QPR a resounding victory.
Matos' previous heaviest losses as Swansea boss were 3-0 defeats to Coventry and Ipswich last season. This was the club's worst league result since a 5-0 mauling at Southampton in December 2023.
"Queens Park Rangers started with a lot of energy, [while] we lacked concentration and organisation in moments," Matos added. "They were really clinical in their finishing and that didn't give us the confidence we need. In the end it's my responsibility."
"It's up to me to put the team on the pitch, to improve the team. And that's what we need to do now – to understand, to analyse and improve again."
Injury blow adds to Swansea's problems
Matos also revealed Swansea have suffered another injury blow after Moussa Yeo was missing at QPR. The in-form winger suffered a hamstring problem during last weekend's defeat by West Ham United and will be sidelined for between two and three weeks. Yeo has scored three goals in his past five Swansea appearances.
"Of course losing Moussa is not the best for us, but we have a strong squad and we will find a way to cover his absence," Matos said.
News of Yeo's injury comes after fellow winger Ronald was ruled out for up to eight weeks with a hamstring injury. Another winger, Jeremy Monga, was part of Swansea's matchday squad on Saturday for the first time since joining on loan from Manchester City, though the teenager did not make it on to the pitch.