Mark Warburton is expecting an “angry reaction” from his QPR players after a home hammering at the hands of Sheffield Wednesday.

Rangers go into Tuesday night’s big clash with relegation-threatened Luton Town on the back of a 3-0 defeat to the Owls, with the boss bemoaning a lacklustre performance at Loftus Road.

The hectic nature of the Championship restart means Warburton’s side won’t have long to wait to try and put things right.

QPR travel to Kenilworth Road to face a Luton side resurgent since the resumption, bidding to avoid relegation having picked up seven points from away games at Swansea, Leeds and Huddersfield.

But Warburton is more focused on what his side – who are still not mathematically safe – can do to fight back having lost four of their last five matches.

“We have to respond on Tuesday against Luton,” he said. “I am expecting an angry reaction.

“Have no doubt about the players’ character – that will really hurt them.

“We are way better than this but we have to meet the challenge. We didn’t do that against Sheffield Wednesday.

“I will always defend our team but today, no. It was way below and there were some very clear messages relayed to the players afterwards.”

Rangers found another level when they faced Luton earlier in the season, with three goals in the first 30 minutes putting them on course to victory back in September.

But this Hatters side are a different beast under returning boss Nathan Jones, looking to complete an escape from relegation that has looked unlikely since the turn of the year.

And Warburton knows his side must step it up if they are to return from Bedfordshire with the spoils.

He added: “We were way below our desired level [against Sheffield Wednesday]. We are a young team and we looked like a team of boys against a team of men today. It was totally unacceptable.

“We have got a lot of talented young boys – and I am not blaming young players – but the Championship is a demanding level.

“I thought today from the outfield players Osman Kakay, Geoff Cameron and Luke Amos came out of the game with credit. There was not a lot Joe could do about the goals.

“Around it, there were too many people who didn’t contribute.

“We gave the ball away cheaply and we didn’t win our duels. I don’t think we had a shot in 90 minutes and this is a team that scores more goals than most.”