Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City boost as 'very good' QPR player injured

Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City could take on a QPR side without the influence of an important midfield star this week after Julien Stephan confirmed an injury this weekend.

The R’s returned from the international break with style, competing a euphoric comeback against Hull City at Loftus Road. The Tigers opened the scoring through Joe Gelhardt after 17 minutes and it looked as if QPR could be going a fifth game without a victory.

However, the hosts replied through Ilias Chair in the first half and then again via Jimmy Dunne in the 55th minute, having gone 2-1 down after Enis Destan finished four minutes earlier. The in-form Rumarn Burrell then bagged a 66th minute winner.

Julien Stephan confirms QPR injury worry ahead of Blackburn Rovers and Norwich City

The win pushed QPR up to 15th in the table and the London outfit will look to take the momentum into a busy week of Championship action. Stephan travels to Ewood Park to take on Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday night before then making the trip to Norwich City on Saturday.

QPR will hope for six points from those games, given that both Rovers and the Canaries languish below them in the table, but could be without the services of Harvey Vale. The 22-year-old missed the matchday squad for the first time this season against Hull City.

Vale moved to Loftus Road from Chelsea in January but feels like a summer signing, having not been able to play at all last term due to injury. The player has seen his minutes reduced recently with Stephan managing an almost fully fit squad but was a notable miss this weekend.

Harvey Vale labelled ‘very, very good player’ by Julien Stephan

Given his injury history, Vale’s absence is a worry but the QPR head coach said that it was just a ‘little injury’ picked up in training. It remains to be known when Vale can return but, with two matches in six days, it would have to be a rapid recovery to take on Blackburn Rovers or Norwich City.

The midfielder, who can play centrally or out wide, scored his first QPR goal in a 2-1 win over Stoke City in September. Speaking after that match, Stephan said: “Harvey is a very, very good player. We can see he's in good momentum, and I'm very happy for him because he deserves it.

“It's not only his goal, it's a lot of effort on the pitch, offensively, defensively, technically he’s a good player. I see some improvement as well in terms of intensity, so I am happy with that.”

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