'Crazy elbow': QPR boss points at foul Portsmouth play as 'high level' star injured ahead of Sheffield United

QPR head coach Marti Cifuentes has pointed to a ‘crazy’ challenge from a Portsmouth star as the reason behind an injury picked up by winger Koki Saito at Fratton Park on Saturday.

The R’s fell to a 2-1 defeat in a close-fought affair on the south coast. The hosts had put themselves into a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from former Premier League men Josh Murphy and Matt Ritchie before Jimmy Dunne pulled one back for QPR with just over 15 minutes left to play.

QPR couldn’t find a leveller with the three points staying at Fratton Park and the London outfit are now eight places and seven points off the play-off zone. Next up for Cifuentes’ men is the visit of Sheffield United on Saturday and the Catalan coach will have to hope the ever-influential Koki Saito available.

QPR boss displeased with ‘crazy elbow’ against Portsmouth

The winger came off after 80 minutes against Portsmouth, as QPR were hunting for the equaliser. Speaking after the match, Cifuentes confirmed that the 23-year-old had picked up an injury and appeared displeased with the manner of the Pompey challenge that led to that incident.

Cifuentes told West London Sport: “Koki unfortunately had to be subbed because he got a big knock on his nose and his mouth. I think it’s a crazy elbow, but I need to see again the situation.”

The challenge on Saito was made by a familiar former QPR man in Andre Dozzell. The 25-year-old has been a regular for Portsmouth this term, having left Loftus Road last summer, and picked up an assist on Saturday.

Dozzell was released as a free agent by QPR last year, having spent the back end of the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Birmingham City. At the time of his departure, CEO Christian Nourry said: “Andre played an important role for the football club in the first half of the season and we will be forever grateful for the contributions he made.

“A difficult decision was made in January, linked to the club’s financial realities and other market priorities, in a move that was additionally designed to afford Andre more starting football. We wish him all the very best for the future.”

Cifuentes will hope that the midfielder’s challenge on Saito will not see the winger miss out against Sheffield United this weekend. Saito has started the last four Championship fixtures for QPR with Ilias Chair playing a more central role.

Koki Saito becoming Loftus Road ‘fan favourite’

Saito has impressed in his first season in English football, cultivating a reputation for tight ball control and tricky dribbles. The winger has become a fan favourite at Loftus Road too thanks to his cheery interviews off the pitch.

Speaking about the player’s development recently, Cifuentes said: “There’s always an adaptation process for all the players. I said months ago that it is always unpredictable. Sometimes it takes one week sometimes it can take one year.

“With Koki, since day one, he looked up to the pace of the game. And then it was some more tactical things that he had to learn about the way of playing and the league itself but he’s showing he’s a very good player in the last third.

“He has this trademark about the one-v-one on the edge of the box that is very difficult to stop and now he has been growing in other areas of the game. He’s defending well, he is reliable when we are building up. He is playing at a high level.”

In other news, Marti Cifuentes appeared to take a cheeky swipe at Portsmouth following a ‘costly’ defeat at the weekend.