Luton Town vs QPR early team news - 5 outs and 1 doubt with star playmaker close to return

It took penalties to separate QPR and Luton Town at Loftus Road on Tuesday night but the London outfit will look to carry the momentum from that victory to Friday evening when the two sides meet for the second time in four days.

Kenilworth Road will play host to the Championship fixture with Marti Cifuentes' men still looking for a first league win of the season with two draws and a defeat on the board so far.

Here's your early team news ahead of Luton Town vs QPR.

QPR team news

QPR could be boosted by the potential return of playmaker Lucas Andersen for the short trip to Kenilworth Road on Friday evening. The 29-year-old has been absent since hobbling off in the first half against Sheffield United with an apparent groin issue picked up when taking a corner.

Speaking after the midweek win, Cifuentes provided a positive update on the player. He said: “He’s showing very good progress. Hopefully, he will train with the team and then see how he feels. I think the next couple of days will give us an answer on exactly where he is. If everything goes according to plan he might be able to help us.”

The R's will be without the services of the influential Ilias Chair again on Friday night. The Morocco international, who picked up seven goals and eight assists last term, is yet to feature this campaign has he nurses a back injury picked up in pre-season.

Chair had been involved in pre-season preparations but was absent from friendlies against Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton and Reading. Speaking on that injury last week, Cifuentes said: “Perhaps we thought it could be less aggressive, but unfortunately it’s a lower back issue that will keep him away for some more weeks.

“I said we were waiting for some tests – and unfortunately the tests showed the development is more or less as we expected. I’m always optimistic and thought it might be a faster process, but the reality is that it’s a bone bruise and it takes time.”

Defender Morgan Fox is another player who is yet to feature in a matchday squad this season as he nurses an injury. Jack Colback will be eligible to feature again after serving his two match ban for a red card picked up against Sheffield United for dissent.

Luton Town team news

The hosts' team news will largely depend on what could be a busy final few days of the transfer window ahead of hosting QPR at Kenilworth Road on Friday evening.

Hatters boss Rob Edwards admitted that it will be a nervous few days as he waits to see whether the club can hold on to in-demand first team stars. He said: "It’s been a real challenging few months, managing, injuries coming back, the drop down anyway. The window, it does unsettle people, so it’s not easy. I’ll be really pleased when it closes on Friday and we can get to work with the people we’ve got.

"It’s not going to quieten down over the next couple of days so I’d get ready for all of that sort of stuff. Sometimes what you read or see or hear isn’t always true as well, so let’s see what the next couple of days bring. It’s not ideal that we’re playing on deadline day as well, it’s a strange one.”

Chiedozie Ogbene has now completed a move to Ipswich Town having been absent on Tuesday night but Luton Town will be pleased to have seen Marvelous Nakamba make his first appearance since December in that match.

New loan signing Tom Krauß isn't expected to return from an ankle injury until after the break with Daiki Hashioka, Jacob Brown and Tom Lockyer also sidelined.