Richard Dunne in angry exchange of words with QPR fans

Former Republic of Ireland international defender Richard Dunne was involved in angry exhange of words with travelling QPR supporters after they lost 2-1 away to Burnley, a Premier League record 10th consecutive away defeat since the start of the season.

At the final whistle, the Dubliner had to be dragged away by goalkeeping coach Kevin Hitchcock, with team-mates Joey Barton and Leroy Fer apparently also trying to intervene.

“Someone said something to Richard Dunne, that was all,”said QPR boss Redknapp. “Kevin Hitchcock went and took Dunny away – someone just got the hump. He didn’t go to have a row with anyone, he just went over and started applauding and someone had a go.”

Redknapp was scathing about his side’s defensive performance at a freezing Turf Moor to equal a record that has stood for 50 years – not since Sunderland in 1965 has a top-flight team lost their first 10 away games of the season.

Redknapp said: “ I thought we were right in the game and that Burnley had lost their way a bit and then we have given an horrendous goal away. It was a shocking second goal, we have to defend better in that situation and it cost us dearly.

"The conditions weren't easy but defenders have to defend. For the first goal we had three men around their guy – we're not talking about Lionel Messi are we – and he's gone past three of us far too easy.

“The second goal was poor defending too. The ball dropped between two of us [Richard Dunne and Steven Caulker] and you have got to clear the ball or get your body in the way, you’ve got to be stronger, you can’t give goals away like that.”

Asked about the unwanted record, he added: “No one is more disappointed than me but it’s hard to win away. Seven or eight of that team were playing last year in the Championship and finished miles behind Burnley and 20 points behind Leicester so we can’t get carried away about who we are. We are scrapping away with the other clubs down there.”