With white trainers in the high street and the teams warming up to American rock, the Eighties are truly back in fashion. For long periods last night, Queens Park Rangers captured the mood to perfection.

Just like their illustrious predecessors that graced the top flight, this team have a glamour, sparkle and an exhilarating cutting edge. Their performance was epitomised by Akos Buzsaky’s wonderful free kick and Jay Simpson’s expertly taken volley, goals that came after they had been reduced to ten men.

Both sets of fans taunted Brendan Rodgers, the Reading manager, with chants predicting that he would be sacked. His team are barely recognisable from the side that appeared in the Premier League two seasons ago and “Brendan’s Babes”, as they have been nicknamed in the local paper, are finding life too hot to handle. From near certainties for promotion last season, they face a battle to avoid League One.

Rodgers admitted that only two league wins was a “horrendous” start to his tenure at the Madejski Stadium. “I will fight for my life,” the 36-year-old, who took over at Reading in June after seven months in charge of Watford, said. “Am I going to sit here and feel sorry? Will I hell. If I felt it was me \, I would go. I am not arrogant to think that if it is not working, I can stay in a job. I don’t feel under pressure, but I do worry. It was a bad night.

“We have a massive task. I became a manager at 35 not because I was nice, but because of perseverance and determination. I want to give people the chance, but I can’t watch too much of that.”

Reading were not troubled by QPR’s bright opening, but crumbled after conceding during a bizarre minute. Ben Watson, the QPR midfield player, received a second yellow card for taking a quick free kick, having been booked for a lunge on Shane Long a little more than ten minutes earlier. Buzsaky scored from the second attempt at the free kick, but the dismissal worked against Reading. They came close when Simon Church hit the post, but conceded a second when Wayne Routledge’s cross dissected the defence and Simpson volleyed in.

Reading were reduced to ten men themselves when Ivar Ingimarsson received a second booking, for tripping Simpson just after half-time, and conceded twice more. Rowan Vine cut in to beat Adam Federici at his near post and Patrick Agyemang rounded the Reading goalkeeper to score their thirteenth goal in their past three home games. Brian Howard scored a consolation.

Flavio Briatore, the QPR co-owner, sat in the directors’ box before celebrating with the players in the dressing room. “If we produce these performances in April, then the players have grasped it,” Jim Magilton, the manager, said.

Queens Park Rangers (4-4-2): R Cerny — P Ramage, D Stewart, K Gorkss, G Borrowdale — A Buzsaky (sub: G Mahon, 67min), B Watson, A Faurlin, A Taarabt (sub: P Agyemang, 75) — W Routledge, J Simpson (sub: R Vine, 54). Substitutes not used: T Heaton, F Hall, M Alberti, G Ainsworth. Booked: Borrowdale, Watson, Faurlin. Sent off: Watson.

Reading (4-4-2): A Federici — J Tabb (sub: B Howard, 46), M Mills, I Ingimarsson, D O’Dea — J Kébé (sub: G Sigurdsson, 46), K Cissé, B Gunnarsson, J McAnuff — S Church (sub: H Robson-Kanu, 59), S Long. Substitutes not used: B Hamar, J Karacan, G Rasiak, A Pearce. Booked: Ingimarsson. Sent off: Ingimarsson.

Referee: A Hall.